St. Michael’s Warriors Explains Its Singular Service

Turning Trauma into Triumph

David and Danielle Alercia, two of the founding members of St. Michael’s Warriors, a recent start-up nonprofit based in the Lehigh Valley, spoke to the LVMAC Council about the origins, mission and intended direction of this new organization.  It was formed because of the problems associated with getting Lehigh Valley first responders suffering from traumas, such as PTSD and TBI, and associated substance and alcohol abuse the care they need.  The founders were driven by personal experiences. And as many of these first responders are military veterans as are most of the core group of volunteers, the organization was a natural fit for helping other military veterans in similar circumstances.

The assistance provided involves a hands-on approach for matching the client to the services actually needed: “What works for one individual may not work for another”.  The Alercias said the board of St. Michael’s Warriors carefully culls and vets a service providers using a boots-on-the-ground approach before referring a client to it.  And finding the correct services sometimes requires looking nationwide.

Any donations are used to help their clients when needed. For example, some services are not entirely free; and work insurance normally does not cover PTSD treatment.  Locally, the organization freely provides a first responder/veteran Alcoholics Anonymous group and a women spouses support group.

For more details, to help, and to inquire for assistance, see the slideshow presented below:

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As of 22 August 2024