DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — After 13 years of military service and two overseas deployments, Jacob VandenPlas faced his own mental health challenges.
"We have to be okay talking about these things so others know it's okay to talk about it as well," Jacob VandenPlas , founder of DC Farm for Vets said.
Watch below to learn more about the program and how it got started:
In 2018, VandenPlas founded DC Farm for Vets, a program where veterans can learn to grow their own food, develop new skills, and rebuild a sense of purpose all while supporting their mental health.
He wants to make clear the importance of talking openly about mental health and hopes to break the silence surrounding the struggles many veterans face.
"We've lost more soldiers coming home than we did overseas," VandenPlas said.
He was motivated to help other veterans who might be struggling.
"The biggest drive for me was it feels like no one else is," VandenPlas said.
He says that while programs through the Veterans Association exist, they aren’t always easy to access, which led him to take matters into his own hands.
"I'm a firm believer if you are passionate about something, it's your responsibility to step up to the plate and make something happen," VandenPlas said.
One of the farm’s key projects is the Victory Garden, an initiative that provides veterans with the tools, guidance and support they need to grow their own food.
"The idea behind it is once you're lifted up with your Victory Garden, we'll start getting more veterans involved with this program. We're going to have you actually help an additional veteran get their Victory Garden set up," VandenPlas said.
He says healing from the deep scars of combat as a lifelong journey.
"The journey to heal after combat those scars are deep and in order to actually heal them, is gonna take time it might take the rest of your life but it is a fight worth fighting," VandenPlas said.
VandenPlas says he is preparing to hand the farm over to new owners, who will continue growing its programs and supporting veterans.
