Why “Sea Hut” Foundation?

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The above images are provided for comment and news reporting purpose. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kimberly Clifford

The name “Sea Hut” Foundation stems from a United States Marine’s true story.  

“The very first night that we arrived in a combat zone, indirect fire shook the earth and created indescribable sounds.  The Sea Hut was a temporary stationing area where service men and women began the introduction to future operations.  Also, the Sea Hut was a place where service men and women stationed their gear while they waited to return home to the U.S.  Those little wooden buildings, built by engineers were a place where aspirations resonated and where plans of those servicemen and women flourished with ambition to continue serving their country, and to create opportunity in education and business if and once they returned home to the United States of America.”

At the Sea Hut Foundation, we are taking that part of the story of ambition and aspirations to help make a difference for those who sacrifice their youth and lives to protect those who they serve.  We want to fill in the gap with any necessary financial assistance guidance and mentorship needed to help our veterans succeed in education and professional environments.

Why was the Sea Hut Foundation established?

With recent and current war conflicts in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom); the surge of military service veterans continue returning home seeking to pursue their higher education. For the percentage of the student body that are veterans, they face the challenges of academics within their studies, but they also must adjust to and overcome the challenges of handling the effects of military service or war. Unfortunately, some of the consequences of military service create certain disorders and with shifts in the demographic area of military jobs some military veterans sadly may even experience military sexual trauma (MST). A huge percentage are affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), amputations, and the adjustment of living civilian non-military lifestyles after devoting numerous years of their lives as service men or women. 

Because the founders of the Sea Hut Foundation are veterans themselves and experienced transitioning into the civilian sector and utilizing educational benefits while pursuing their college education, the Sea Hut Foundation was created to help support veterans through mentorship and scholarship who will experience or are experiencing the process when pursuing an college education as a student veteran. The Sea Hut Foundation's efforts provide much-needed support for student veterans and veterans. 

PURPOSE:

Your assistance helps the Sea Hut Foundation achieve the charitable organizational goals of identifying veterans each year who demonstrate the need for assistance.  Because of your support, the Sea Hut Foundation's efforts for our veterans' success in education and professional environments is possible.

With the extensive plans and efforts of the Sea Hut Foundation, many expenses need attention. Because of your contribution, the Sea Hut Foundation will achieve their goals of helping numerous veterans across the U.S. who are pursuing education and careers.  Our goals and plans for 2019 are to donate scholarship to four or more veterans, depending on our funding. 

The Sea Hut Foundation's Veteran Business Center:

After exiting military service, many veterans do not receive sufficient guidance in navigating their educational benefits or educational institutions. As a result, many veterans exhaust their educational benefits with up to one year or more left until they are eligible to graduate college.  The Sea Hut Foundation aims to improve the lives of student veterans who are unfamiliar with how to begin and plan their educational career or who desperately need financial assistance and support as they transition or prepare to transition into the civilian world and that is why our Veterans' Business Center is critical. 

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS:

The Sea Hut Foundation established the Joel's Journey Scholarship Fund in 2018, and the Sea Hut Foundation awards scholarships through a comprehensive process. The objective of this scholarship is to support student veterans enrolled in undergraduate studies and for identifying the financial need and support for veterans pursuing a college education. The Sea Hut Foundation contributes to creating awareness for our student veterans and help our communities and educational organizations to understand the needs of student veterans. Because of the financial requirements for the underfunded study body of military service men and women, as well as unawareness of some veterans' benefits, this scholarship proposal will help provide guidance and much-needed aid.

The donated scholarship has different features and according to a student's current college major, academic performance, leadership potential, and future goals, scholarships are awarded annually provided funds are available. Some of the highlights include assistance with college tuition and donated memberships to different networking organizations such as membership to the National Association of Recording Industry Professionals, the California Copyright Conference and or organizations relevant to the students' college major and industry. Also, we will grant Apple Incorporated products, recording software and hardware, which will help promote veterans' education.

Areas that are reviewed by the committee include, but are not limited to the following:

• Academic Accomplishments
• Community Service
• References
• Personal Essay
• Student Veterans' Financial Need
• 
  

The Sea Hut Foundation provides annual scholarship funds directly to the recipient or the recipient(s) school. The Sea Hut Foundation awards scholarships without regard to race, color, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.  Scholarships awarded are based upon the availability of funds and additional qualifying criteria.

Please see the Sea Hut Foundation Scholarship Application below:

https://seahutfoundation.org/scholarship

Eco-Therapy:

At the Sea Hut Foundation we are on a mission to help educate veterans and also help veterans alleviate stressors and problems, further, supporting coping mechanisms for transitioning to a successful civilian life.  Therefore we believe that with different therapies, we will help our veterans pursue their college education and professional lives with the support of our programs, including therapy and mentorship.  There are different types of therapies, including Eco-therapy, Music therapy, Adventure therapy, Wilderness therapy, Horticulture therapy, Walk-and-talk therapy, and nature programs and we create and promote programs that enable student veterans to have a definition of what success in education and in the professional environments means to them. 

Expenses for the Sea Hut Foundation Include:

• Rent-Brick and Mortar building for Veteran Business Center location
• Office Equipment i.e. printers, paper, computers, storage systems
• Hiring staff and veterans and students veterans 
• Attorneys' fees
• California Public Accountant Fees
• Fundraising expenses
• Marketing
• Outreach and ambassadors
• Advertising
• And the above helps create jobs!

Your donations help support the structure of this organization which further makes it possible for the Sea Hut Foundation to help student veterans and veterans excel in college and life. 

Thank you for helping create positive change in our veteran communities.  

"Empowering our veterans by providing tools they need for success in education and professional environments."