Gratitude Charlottesville is a 501(c)(3) that was founded in 2018 by Michael Kaminski and the team at local Wealth Management Firm, SKV Group. Gratitude began as a directory of Charlottesville-area businesses that offer discounts or special offers to our local Military and Police and has continued to grow into a larger mission of promoting a community of gratitude to recognize the Service of our Local Heroes.
While we continue to grow our directory, we have expanded our mission of gratitude through community-building projects called Gratitude Projects. We work to identify meaningful ways, both big and small, to support, grow, and expand our impact to our local heroes. Outlined below are some examples of our ongoing projects and initiatives.
Gratitude Charlottesville’s Gratitude 4 Grads program recognizes local high school seniors who have elected to enlist in the Armed Services after graduation. Awards are presented in front of their peers at each student’s graduation ceremony.
In partnership with local nursing and assisted living homes, Gratitude provides birthday gifts to our elderly and/ or disabled Veteran community. All gifts include a personal note, thanking the Veteran for their Service. We reach hundreds of elderly Veterans every year, many of whom are without their family to celebrate with.
Locally made in Keswick, VA all Hero Honey purchases go directly towards funding our Gratitude Programs. It is a delicious way to contribute to our mission while shopping local. You can purchase a jar(s) of honey online or by contacting our team. Jars can be shipped or scheduled for pick up at the Gratitude offices in Pantops, VA.
Gratitude partners with Green Dogs Unleashed to sponsor pups going through their PTSD Therapy Training Program. This program selects a couple special pups each year to go through 500+ hours of specialized PTSD therapy training, skill development, and integration with their Veteran family.
Gratitude Charlottesville sponsors the Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering (VTME) Senior Design Program, who partners with Camp Freedom to build custom mechanical solutions to aid wounded Veterans participating in outdoor wilderness activities with improved independence.
In addition to our on-going programs, Gratitude Charlottesville always seeks out Veteran community building projects in the greater Charlottesville-area including awarding the monthly Friend of Freedom Awards, sponsoring Veteran Coffee Hour at the local community center, hosting trips to the National D-Day Memorial for our elderly Veterans, and more!
Gratitude Charlottesville’s annual fundraising event is Albemarle County’s first Charity Texas Hold Em’ Tournament. Hosted in the spring, all tournament proceeds go directly to our Gratitude programs and initiatives. You don’t need to be a poker-pro to play!
Gratitude Charlottesville’s annual ‘gratitude’ event is our Army vs. Navy Tailgate Party. Taking place in December, this event includes an (indoor) large screen viewing of the Army vs. Navy football game, raffles, drinks, catering, good old-fashioned camaraderie, and more!
Your contribution is crucial to our success! There are many ways for you to help.
Every dollar donated is directly used to help us express our gratitude and appreciation for the service and sacrifice of our local Military and Law Enforcement personnel. We strive to honor and recognize these heroes through several of our projects including: The Pet Project, the Gratitude Directory, Veteran Birthday Gifts, Friend of Freedom Awards, Gratitude 4 Grads, and more! If you desire, please visit our donations page to pledge your support.
Through community projects the potential for impact to the lives of our local heroes is great. Only with your support can we continue to turn our vision into a reality. Support ranges from creating awareness about Gratitude Charlottesville, to financial assistance, sponsorship, partnership volunteering, organizing, and supporting events. If you are looking to honor the sacrifice of our Military and Law Enforcement, we would like to utilize your strengths by having you join our mission. Contact at gratitudecville@gmail.com or (434) 962-2752 to learn more.
We have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities through our Gratitude Charlottesville’s Ambassador (GCA) program! Ambassadors help execute our mission through a range of Gratitude Projects. Do you like supporting, meeting, and connecting with our local heroes? Do you have an idea for a future Gratitude Project or want to get involved in a current project? Let’s talk!
Do you know a Charlottesville-area businesses that offer discounts or special offers to our Military and Police? We are always trying to grow our network of support-minded local businesses. Currently, directory discounts are offered in more than 20 industry categories including: dining, health, fitness, shopping, personal care, automotive, entertainment, and more. Our goal is to create a business community of “Gratitude” to recognize the Service of our local Military and Police so encourage your favorite local business to list!
© 2023 Gratitude Cville.