Our Mission, Our Impact
Operation Restore exists to remove the barriers that keep veterans, first responders, and their families from accessing the wellness support they have earned.
Why We Exist
The VA and most private insurance plans do not cover many of the most effective wellness treatments available for trauma, PTSD, and chronic stress. That includes equine-assisted therapy, biofeedback, alpha-stim treatments, yoga, and other evidence-informed approaches.
For veterans and first responders, those gaps are not just inconvenient. They are a real barrier to healing. Many people in our community are silently struggling, not because help does not exist, but because they cannot afford to access it.
Operation Restore was created to change that.
What We Believe
BELIEF 1
Healing looks different for everyone.
A traditional office and a 50-minute therapy session is not the only path forward. We offer approaches that meet people where they are.
BELIEF 2
Connection is part of the medicine.
Isolation makes everything harder. Our programs are designed to bring people together in safe, low-pressure ways that rebuild trust and community.
BELIEF 3
Service should not come with a bill for recovery.
The people who protect our communities deserve access to care. Cost should not be the reason someone does not get help.
The Problem We Are Solving
Equine-assisted therapy is recognized as an effective intervention for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and trauma-related issues. Despite this, the VA Community Care program does not cover equine therapy under standard mental health benefits. TRICARE has similar restrictions.
For veterans and first responders whose trauma may not respond well to traditional talk therapy alone, this gap is significant. Operation Restore raises funds specifically to cover the cost of these services for the people who need them most.
A Participant's Story
I wasn't sure what to expect the first time I stepped into the arena. I had never worked with horses before, and honestly, I wasn't sure how being around them could help someone carrying years of trauma.
As I stood in the pen, the horses quietly moved around me. Each time they passed, it felt as though they were learning something about me. Then one horse slowly walked toward me. He stopped beside me, rested his head on my shoulder, and gently leaned in.
At that moment, something changed.
It felt as though this powerful animal understood what I could never fully explain—the anxiety, the pain, the memories, the anger, and the exhaustion of carrying trauma for so many years. Without words, he offered comfort.
For that hour, I wasn't reliving the past. I wasn't trapped by flashbacks or weighed down by stress. I was simply present.
When the session ended, I realized something remarkable: I felt hopeful. I felt calm. Most importantly, I felt like it was going to be a good day.
That may not sound extraordinary, but when you've spent years struggling just to get through the day, it means everything.
— C.S., Veteran Participant