Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Reese.
Hi Dan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
People often ask us how Homeward For Heroes began.
The truth is, it wasn’t created in a boardroom, through a strategic business plan, or because we wanted to start another nonprofit. It was born from our own experiences, our own struggles, and a desire to make sure no veteran, first responder, or family member ever feels like they have to face life’s battles alone.
Throughout our lives, we have witnessed the incredible sacrifices made by those who serve. Military service, law enforcement, firefighting, EMS, and emergency response are professions built around protecting others, often at a tremendous personal cost. We have also seen the unseen wounds that many carry long after the mission ends.
Like so many others, we have lost friends, brothers, sisters, and colleagues to suicide, addiction, isolation, and hopelessness. We’ve sat in silence wondering what could have been done differently. We’ve attended funerals, comforted grieving families, and asked ourselves difficult questions.
How do we help people reconnect?
How do we create an environment where it’s okay to be vulnerable, where conversations can happen naturally, and where healing doesn’t feel like another appointment or obligation?
For us, the answer was found in the outdoors.
Some of our most meaningful conversations have happened around a campfire, on a trail, sitting beside a lake, or under a sky full of stars. Out there, away from the distractions and pressures of everyday life, people begin to open up. They laugh again. They share stories. They realize they are not alone.
What began as inviting a few friends on outdoor adventures soon evolved into something much larger. We discovered that these experiences created opportunities for genuine connection, trust, and personal growth. The outdoors became more than recreation—it became a pathway to healing.
That realization inspired us to create Homeward For Heroes.
Our mission is simple: to provide veterans, law enforcement officers, first responders, and their families with opportunities to reconnect with themselves, reconnect with others, and discover that there is purpose and hope beyond trauma.
Through overlanding adventures, campfire conversations, outdoor experiences, and our Post-Traumatic Growth Program, we strive to build a community where people feel understood, supported, and empowered to move forward.
Homeward For Heroes is more than an organization to us.
It is a family.
It is a reminder that healing happens through connection.
It is proof that while service may leave scars, those scars do not define us.
Most importantly, it is our commitment to ensuring that those who have spent their lives serving others never have to walk their journey home alone.
Our motto says it best:
**Disconnect to Reconnect.**
Because no matter where life takes us, we truly believe:
**No One Fights Alone.**
— Dan & Laura Reese
Founders, Homeward For Heroes
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Despite experiencing tremendous growth, our greatest challenge continues to be securing sustainable funding and expanding our volunteer base to meet the increasing demand for services. Homeward For Heroes now operates chapters in Montana, Minnesota, Oregon, and Arizona, with strong interest in launching additional chapters in Texas, Missouri, and Colorado. This growth demonstrates the need for our programs, but it also places significant demands on our all-volunteer team.
Because every member of our organization serves without compensation, we are able to maintain a lean operational budget and maximize resources directed toward mission delivery. However, this model also requires volunteers to sacrifice work time, personal time, and family commitments in order to respond when individuals need support most.
One of the most critical aspects of our mission is what we call the “midnight call.” These are the late-night conversations with veterans, first responders, and law enforcement personnel who are struggling with isolation, trauma, or suicidal thoughts. In many cases, our volunteers serve as the trusted voice that answers the phone during a moment of crisis, providing immediate peer support, helping individuals navigate overwhelming emotions, and, at times, literally talking someone back from the edge.
Our commitment does not end when a program concludes. Through regular “buddy checks,” we maintain ongoing contact with past participants because, within Homeward For Heroes, completing a program means becoming part of a lifelong family. We intentionally stay connected through phone calls, messages, and check-ins to ensure that no one feels forgotten or alone. These continued relationships have become a cornerstone of our mission and are often the difference between someone struggling in silence and someone reaching out for help.
As participation continues to grow nationwide, additional funding is essential to strengthen volunteer capacity, offset mission-related expenses, expand chapter development, and ensure that Homeward For Heroes remains available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for those who need support during their darkest moments.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I served in both the Marine Corps and the Army in combat-related fields throughout my military career. After retiring at the age of 53, I dedicated myself full-time to building and expanding Homeward for Heroes (H4H).
As a senior Non-Commissioned Officer, one of the most rewarding aspects of my service was taking care of soldiers under my leadership. That same commitment to serving others, combined with my lifelong passion for backroads exploration, overlanding, and camping, has made H4H a natural extension of who I am. It is more than an organization—it is a mission that I am deeply passionate about and driven to see succeed.
My focus is to continue refining and strengthening our Post Traumatic Growth Program (PTGP), which has already produced encouraging and meaningful results for veterans, law enforcement officers, first responders, and their families. Witnessing participants reconnect, heal, and discover renewed purpose reinforces the importance of this work.
My wife and I are also pursuing additional certifications to expand H4H’s offerings by incorporating relationship and couples-focused programming. Over the years, many couples attending our treks have expressed a desire for resources and guided experiences designed to strengthen communication, deepen connection, and support healthy relationships. We believe there is a significant need for this type of mission, and we are committed to developing programs that help couples grow together while navigating the unique challenges associated with military, first responder, and service-oriented lifestyles.
Through Homeward for Heroes, our goal is to continue creating opportunities for healing, growth, connection, and community for those who have dedicated their lives to serving others.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My wife has been my greatest asset in both my personal healing journey and the growth of our H4H mission. Her unwavering support, encouragement, and belief in what we are building have helped me navigate my own challenges while strengthening our ability to serve others. She has stood beside me through the difficult moments, celebrated the victories, and shared in the commitment to helping veterans, first responders, and their families discover hope, connection, and purpose. Homeward For Heroes would not be what it is today without her partnership, dedication, and the compassion she brings to our mission every day.
Pricing:
- Free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.homewardforheroes.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homewardforheroes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homeward4heroes
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HomewardforHeroes
