COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Do you have a mission statement?
Helping American Veterans Experience Alaska “HAVE Alaska" is an Alaska based organization dedicated to promoting the physical and
psychological rehabilitation of American Veterans injured in service to our country through outdoor activities and travel.
Helping American Veterans Experience Alaska “HAVE Alaska" is an Alaska based organization dedicated to promoting the physical and
psychological rehabilitation of American Veterans injured in service to our country through outdoor activities and travel.
2. What is your most successful program and why?
Our current program is very successful, because it allows us to provide the high level of support for our Veterans and provide a superior Alaska experience to all the Veterans that come. We have fine tuned this trip to provide as much time participating in Alaska events as possible, and allow for a tailored experience for our Veterans at a price point that is practical and within our current financial goals. The time our Veterans experience with each other is as valuable as our trips themselves, and with our current venue we can provide an amazing atmosphere for our veterans to share past experiences.
Our current program is very successful, because it allows us to provide the high level of support for our Veterans and provide a superior Alaska experience to all the Veterans that come. We have fine tuned this trip to provide as much time participating in Alaska events as possible, and allow for a tailored experience for our Veterans at a price point that is practical and within our current financial goals. The time our Veterans experience with each other is as valuable as our trips themselves, and with our current venue we can provide an amazing atmosphere for our veterans to share past experiences.
3. Give me your best example of the way you’ve seen your organizations work make a difference.
Our organization makes a difference by involving our entire community to participate in supporting our Veterans. Not only are these brave men and women able to experience world class fishing and sightseeing, but the real healing begins when our Veterans are settling down around the camp fire, and telling stories of success and hardships. The bonding that happens every night creates a one of a kind experience that our Veterans get to keep with them long after the trip is over. I am honored to keep in touch with the men and women who have participated in our trips, and often recall on the good times.
Our organization makes a difference by involving our entire community to participate in supporting our Veterans. Not only are these brave men and women able to experience world class fishing and sightseeing, but the real healing begins when our Veterans are settling down around the camp fire, and telling stories of success and hardships. The bonding that happens every night creates a one of a kind experience that our Veterans get to keep with them long after the trip is over. I am honored to keep in touch with the men and women who have participated in our trips, and often recall on the good times.
4. Do you have a strategic plan?
Currently HAVE Alaska is working on year two of our five-year plan. Because our Kenai Peninsula trip is so successful, and we can meet our financial goals within this trip, this five year plan has been established to create a solid foundation for growth, and allow HAVE Alaska to grow in its financial strengths. A ten-year outlook sees HAVE Alaska growing beyond this Peninsula trip, to encompass larger groups of Veterans, and provide hunting trips for bear, deer, and moose. These trips have been provided in the past, and provide a great learning experience for our organization of both what to do, and what not to do. Our primary goal will never change: To provide the best experience for our Veterans, and to ensure that any funds raised for HAVE Alaska is used in Alaska for our Alaska events.
Currently HAVE Alaska is working on year two of our five-year plan. Because our Kenai Peninsula trip is so successful, and we can meet our financial goals within this trip, this five year plan has been established to create a solid foundation for growth, and allow HAVE Alaska to grow in its financial strengths. A ten-year outlook sees HAVE Alaska growing beyond this Peninsula trip, to encompass larger groups of Veterans, and provide hunting trips for bear, deer, and moose. These trips have been provided in the past, and provide a great learning experience for our organization of both what to do, and what not to do. Our primary goal will never change: To provide the best experience for our Veterans, and to ensure that any funds raised for HAVE Alaska is used in Alaska for our Alaska events.
5. Is there anything that you wish more people knew about your organization or issues you are trying to solve?
HAVE Alaska is in its initial startup stage of development. While we seem to be growing exponentially, we are very cautious of growing too big too fast. We want to be able to maintain an upward development curve, and provide the best opportunities for all our Veterans, however, we also need to be aware that growing too fast can cause an unnecessary financial strain on our organization. Ideally, we would like to keep the overhead operating cost to zero and focus all our available resources on creating these trips, and making them experiences of a lifetime. Financial responsibilities are key in our five-year goals. HAVE Alaska has focused on keeping our costs to a minimum, and any money saved on our events, gets us that much closer to the next years goals. Our hope is that after five years, we will have saved enough money to provide bigger trips for our Veterans without sacrificing our initial Peninsula adventure that got us
started in the first place.
HAVE Alaska is in its initial startup stage of development. While we seem to be growing exponentially, we are very cautious of growing too big too fast. We want to be able to maintain an upward development curve, and provide the best opportunities for all our Veterans, however, we also need to be aware that growing too fast can cause an unnecessary financial strain on our organization. Ideally, we would like to keep the overhead operating cost to zero and focus all our available resources on creating these trips, and making them experiences of a lifetime. Financial responsibilities are key in our five-year goals. HAVE Alaska has focused on keeping our costs to a minimum, and any money saved on our events, gets us that much closer to the next years goals. Our hope is that after five years, we will have saved enough money to provide bigger trips for our Veterans without sacrificing our initial Peninsula adventure that got us
started in the first place.
6. Where does most of your funding come from?
All of our funding is raised through the efforts of our Board of Directors. We hold a monthly gun raffle, send out letters to local businesses in our areas, and hold an annual fundraiser dinner in August. In 2018, We were able to raise over $20,000 to cover our expenses in 2018, and put towards our 2019 budget.
With the event restrictions in 2020, HAVE Alaska has had to cut back on its fundraising events. We have had money saved for expanding our events that we are relying on to keep us going for 2020, and 2021. We look forward to opening up our annual fundraising event this fall.
All of our funding is raised through the efforts of our Board of Directors. We hold a monthly gun raffle, send out letters to local businesses in our areas, and hold an annual fundraiser dinner in August. In 2018, We were able to raise over $20,000 to cover our expenses in 2018, and put towards our 2019 budget.
With the event restrictions in 2020, HAVE Alaska has had to cut back on its fundraising events. We have had money saved for expanding our events that we are relying on to keep us going for 2020, and 2021. We look forward to opening up our annual fundraising event this fall.
7. What are your most urgent needs?
Fundraising is our primary need. We also are looking into materials in 2019 (Shirts, hats, handouts, etc.) but we are cautious with spending funds earned for our Veterans.
Fundraising is our primary need. We also are looking into materials in 2019 (Shirts, hats, handouts, etc.) but we are cautious with spending funds earned for our Veterans.
8. What would make the greatest difference in helping your organization get better at what it does?
Every year is a learning opportunity to fine tune our methods, and provide a better service for our Veterans. Overhead costs are something we focus on keeping to a minimum. For that reason, having company owned assets would only reduce the amount of resources that we could use for our veterans. Donated items that would not require maintenance or upkeep would be greatly accepted.
Every year is a learning opportunity to fine tune our methods, and provide a better service for our Veterans. Overhead costs are something we focus on keeping to a minimum. For that reason, having company owned assets would only reduce the amount of resources that we could use for our veterans. Donated items that would not require maintenance or upkeep would be greatly accepted.
9. What’s your annual budget?
Our annual budget is the cost of our current Peninsula Trip. We estimate each participant in this trip to cost $2,500 on average. We also estimate 10 Participants per year, bringing our annual budget to $25,000. This need is met through donations, raffles, and our annual fundraiser event.
Our annual budget is the cost of our current Peninsula Trip. We estimate each participant in this trip to cost $2,500 on average. We also estimate 10 Participants per year, bringing our annual budget to $25,000. This need is met through donations, raffles, and our annual fundraiser event.
10. Do you have a current completed audit?
Our completed 2018, 2019, and 2020 audits are available. HAVE Alaska’s intent is to be as transparent as possible. We believe that in keeping an open financial record, we can assure our supporters that the money they donate is going where it belongs.
Our completed 2018, 2019, and 2020 audits are available. HAVE Alaska’s intent is to be as transparent as possible. We believe that in keeping an open financial record, we can assure our supporters that the money they donate is going where it belongs.