Mission
and research
Our Story
Heather Ehle founded Project Sanctuary in 2007 while working as a registered nurse after she discovered no organization was helping the military family as a unit.
Heather founded the organization on the principle that when one person serves, the whole family serves, and the best way to support the troops was to create an organization supporting the entire family.
What began as one retreat boot-strapped together in the mountains of Colorado has since grown into a national organization serving thousands of at-risk military families across the country.
As of 2026, we have expanded our mission to include first responder families as well, recognizing that when someone answers the call to serve, whether in the military or in our communities, the entire family carries that commitment.
Today, we are proud to be one of the only organizations focused on mental health, serving military, veterans, first responders, spouses, caregivers, and children as a family unit with a fully licensed and professional staff. That is our difference.
The veteran suicide rate is currently 1.5 times the rate of the general population. Over 120,000+ veterans have been lost to suicide since 2001. Active duty suicide rates have steadily increased since 2011. Sadly, 492 active duty service members and 168 family members (spouses and children) succumbed to suicide in 2022. Military families relocate every other year, isolating spouses and children and making it even more difficult to cope with the challenges and stress of military life.
Project Sanctuary’s mission is more critical than ever.
Our Why
Military, veteran, and first responder families face unique hardships unlike their civilian peers, but like their peers want to succeed, function as a healthy family unit, and participate in their local community. Many of those who have served now live with visible and invisible injuries such as Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The challenges facing these families have not decreased in recent years. In fact, the COVID pandemic, the recent withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, and the conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East have led to increased depression, anxiety, and hopelessness.
A 2021 research article estimated “30,177 active-duty personnel and veterans of the post 9/11 wars have died by suicide, significantly more than the 7,057 service members killed in post- 9/11 war operations.”
52% of veterans reported their mental health worsening because of the isolation during COVID. When asked their feelings on the Afghanistan withdrawal, 73% of veterans felt betrayed and 67% felt humiliated.
Military spouse unemployment increased from approximately 24% to 38% because of the COVID pandemic.
Our MISSION
Project Sanctuary is a leading provider of therapeutic retreats and ongoing support for Military, Veteran, and First Responder families by reconnecting and empowering the entire family towards healing.
Our Vision
Project Sanctuary believes that when one person serves, the entire family serves, and envisions a world where Military, Veteran, and First Responder families find healing, strength, and a lifeline to a more hopeful future together.
Our Values
- Honor
- Integrity
- Excellence
- Inclusivity
- Hope
Research
Our Research
In 2018, Clemson University published the first study demonstrating the long-term impacts of Project Sanctuary’s therapeutic recreation program.
