Pin-Ups For Vets
Pin-Ups For Vets is a nonprofit organization that produces 1940s-style pin-up calendars that raise money to support the organization’s veteran and troop initiatives. Founder Gina Elise established Pin-Ups For Vets 11 years ago after hearing stories of our troops coming back from Iraq, needing medical care. She wanted to do something creative to give back to our nation’s heroes and to also honor the WWII service of her grandfather. Inspired by WWII nose art, she came up with the idea for a fundraiser pin-up calendar.
Pin-Ups For Vets does everything from donating state-of-the-art rehabilitation equipment to VA and military hospitals, to its 50-state hospital tour where the Pin-Ups For Vets ambassadors deliver the calendars as gifts of appreciation to ill and injured veterans at their bedsides. The ladies, who visit the hospitals while dressed up as WWII-style pin-ups, have visited with more than 10,000 veterans across the U.S.
Many veteran patients do not receive visitors because they do not have friends or family nearby. A special visit from the Pin-Ups For Vets ambassadors, delivering gifts, can mean the difference between a good and bad day! The ambassadors often hear the veteran patients exclaim, “When you are here, my pain is gone!” or, “Am I in heaven?”
Pin-Ups For Vets is a “boots on the ground” organization. The Pin-Ups For Vets ambassadors, many of whom are veterans themselves, are right there with the veterans during incredibly difficult times in their life, reminding them that there are people who care about them and who are rooting for them.
The Pin-Ups For Vets calendar is unique in that it features veterans as models. The 2017 edition features 24 veterans (20 female veterans, four male veterans). There is an immediate connection made when the veteran patients meet the visiting Pin-Ups For Vets ambassadors, many of whom also happen to be veterans.
Pin-Ups For Vets is also committed to reaching out to military spouses to show appreciation for their sacrifices. The organization has done a number of morale-boosting pin-up makeovers for military wives to pamper them for a day and to help them to channel their “inner bombshell.” Hair stylists and make-up artists work their magic on the military wives. Beautiful pin-up style clothing is presented to these women. After the makeovers are completed, the wives model in photo sessions where the stunning images are captured as gifts for them and their families.
A glamorous pin-up makeover was recently given to Melissa, a military wife, now a full-time caretaker to her husband, who was injured during his multiple combat deployments. She had very little time for herself. Pin-Ups For Vets pampered her for a day, with a makeover, gifts of clothing and a fun photo shoot, after which she received some fabulous photos to share with her husband. She was overjoyed with this experience and cried when she saw herself in the mirror!
Pin-Ups For Vets has also shipped hundreds of care packages to troops deployed around the world, has worked to do motivational events and makeovers for homeless female veterans to help them re-enter the workplace, and has inspired many people around the U.S. to volunteer in their local VA hospitals.
The organization has received Congressional recognition and deployed troops have flown nine U.S. flags to recognize the organization’s outstanding work.
Learn more at PinUpsForVets.com or find them on Facebook, Facebook.com/PinUpsForVets.
