Team RWB’s mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity. The team consists of military and civilians coming together and supporting each other on a consistent and regular basis.
The program began in 2010, when Mike Erwin had an idea of inviting 75 friends to Minneapolis to run the Twin Cities Marathon. This “team” would join together to raise awareness and money for a nonprofit organization that supported wounded Veterans. As the plan started to take form, he thought it would be great for some of the supported Veterans and their families to join the team for the weekend. He felt it was important for the supporters and the supported to have a personal connection. So he appealed to the organization but was informed that this would not be possible. This sparked some reflection, and it didn’t take long to notice there was a real lack of consistent, everyday support for Veterans where they lived. With this problem in his head, and against the advice of almost everybody, Mike decided to found a nonprofit organization to address the need that so badly needed to be met.
It was clear the existing model for wounded Veteran support was inadequate, if not broken altogether. Much of the support being offered was too centralized, too inconsistent, too grand, felt way too much like charity, and cast Veterans as broken victims. We knew the answer had to be local, consistent, sustainable, valuable, positive, and empowering. Ultimately, ski trips, golf clubs, and hockey tickets are just expensive ways to defer the real challenges awaiting Veterans when they come home. What our wounded truly needed were real people, providing authentic support in their communities and Team RWB was born.
Team RWB continue s to deliver consistent, local programs that positively affect the lives of our members. In addition to our camps and ambassador program, our chapters delivered over 53,000 events and generate d more than 150,000 quality veteran interactions in 2015. Far more important, the programs are working. There is no doubt being a part of our Team is enriching lives…making people healthier, happier, and more inspired!
