Giving Back -- Catch A Lift Fund

Blog

September 08, 2020

Each issue, the editorial staff of Military Embedded Systems will highlight a different charitable organization that benefits the military, veterans, and their families. We are honored to cover the technology that protects those who protect us every day. To back that up, our parent company – OpenSystems Media – will make a donation to every group we showcase on this page.

his issue we are highlighting Catch A Lift Fund (CAL), a national nonprofit organization that was established with the aim of helping post-9/11 combat-wounded veterans regain and maintain their mental and physical well-being through access to gym memberships, in-home gym equipment, personalized fitness and nutrition programs, and a peer-support network. CAL was founded in 2010 in memory of Army Cpl. Chris Coffland, by his family and friends; Coffland was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 while serving as an intelligence officer.

CAL’s mission – according to information from the organization – is rooted in Coffland’s lifelong belief that through fitness, one can reach their highest potential both mentally and physically. CAL enables the returned veterans to choose where and when to work out, offers options for coaching and accountability, provides mentors for those who want them, and strives to meet each veteran’s unique fitness needs.

Since its founding, Catch A Lift has provided 8,500 fitness programs to more than 6,700 veterans and caregivers. The CAL recipients receive gym memberships, in-home gym equipment, personalized fitness and nutrition programs, and a peer-support network. Among the CAL programs are the Women’s Fitness Initiative, an opportunity for female wounded veterans to explore healing and growth through physical fitness; a program that enables gym owners and personal trainers to become involved in rehabilitation and fundraising; and individual benefit evenings aimed at boosting awareness and membership. Moreover, veterans who become part of CAL can also become certified to help train other veterans.

For additional information on Catch A Lift fund, please visit https://catchaliftfund.org/.