Our Mission

Veterans Voices Writing Project (VVWP) enables military veterans to experience solace and satisfaction through writing.

We envision a world where people appreciate that writing can both heal and entertain. The project encourages veterans to express their thoughts and feelings in writing and to send their stories, essays, poems and artwork to the VVWP headquarters for potential publication in Veterans’ Voices magazine.

The magazine is made possible by ongoing contributions to VVWP. We are thankful for circulation support to VAMCs by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. VVWP is available online and we publish a Veterans’ Voices magazine three times a year.

About the VVWP

VVWP started as an outreach program for veterans returning from World War II. Today, it serves all veterans with therapeutic writing programs to heal their unseen emotional and moral wounds. Veterans write about personal experiences and innermost thoughts to help manage the effects of PTSD and to reduce the risk of suicide. They also write for creative expression. It offers the opportunity for community in writing groups and to have their work published. The program continues its important work for those serving in the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf Wars. Now, with the return of injured veterans from Iraq, Afghanistan and other recent conflicts, the project is more important than ever.

The project’s therapeutic writing program is designed to acknowledge military veterans’ experiences and build self-esteem through creative expression and possible publication.

Mental well-being is an important component in the health of returning military veterans. Veterans Voices Writing Project, Inc. (VVWP) a 501(c)(3) organization helps veterans heal from the physical and psychological trauma associated with military service, whether from actual combat, war training or emotional trauma. The project helps military personnel transitioning to civilian life to heal from emotional scars by encouraging them to write down their thoughts, concerns and reflections.

VVWP offers veterans an opportunity to see that writing appear in Veterans’ Voices, a print magazine published since 1952. More than 70 years, what is still unique about VVWP’s program is that these veteran stories and experiences are published for a national audience. There are countless programs that use writing as therapy and some have been published in book form or for a local audience, but VVWP’s program has published more than 60,000 veterans’ writings since 1952 and is mailed throughout the country to individuals, VA Centers, libraries, veterans’ and auxiliary organizations and others who support the program.