The VA grants Utah-based groups about $620,000 to support veterans’ participation in adaptive sports

Salt Lake City, Utah – On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs granted funds totaling over $620,000 to Utah-based groups to support horse therapy, adapted sports, and leisure activities for disabled veterans and service members.

The funds are a component of the VA’s Adaptive Sports Grant Program, which for the fiscal year 2024 will award 91 national, regional, and community-based programs with a total of $15.9 million in awards. As per the VA, over 15,000 veterans and active military personnel are presently able to make use of these programs.

VA Secretary Denis McDonough said, “These grants give Veterans life-changing opportunities to participate in adaptive sports in the communities where they live all across the country.”

“Adaptive sports and leisure pursuits have the potential to significantly improve the physical and mental well-being of disabled veterans by providing them with valuable social connections with other service members who share their experiences,” the statement reads.

Competitive or recreational games and activities, such as Paralympic sports, archery, cycling, skiing, hunting, rock climbing, and sky diving, that are tailored to the needs of veterans with disabilities are known as adaptive sports. Advocates claim that the programs promote an active and healthy lifestyle and enable veterans to heal via leisure.

Jataya Taylor, a veteran of the Marine Corps, is one such example. She participated in wheelchair fencing at the 2024 Paralympics. She claims that she was miserable and experiencing mental health problems before to discovering the sport. She states that she was introduced to a new community through an organization that was funded by the VA Adaptive Sports Grant Program.

“My participation in adaptive sports was my lifesaver,” Taylor remarked. “I started riding a bike and eventually started climbing after joining these programs, and eventually it became a crucial part of my mental health.” I’ve discovered my tribe. I’ve discovered my new social circle.

According to the VA, approximately $119 million in awards have been given out during the program’s last nine years.