Be Connected Honored in the Inaugural Anthem Awards

The Be Connected program has been honored with an award as part of the inaugural Anthem Awards for its upstream suicide prevention public awareness campaign titled We’re on a Mission. Be Connected was selected as a winner from among more than 2,500 submissions from 36 countries around the world.

Competing in the Health Awareness category, Be Connected was selected for its work that informs and educates people about a topic or issue to influence their attitudes and behavior towards achieving a defined purpose and goal. The statewide We’re on a Mission campaign features messages on Arizona’s radio and television stations to raise awareness about Be Connected, the statewide support line available at no cost to Arizona’s service members, veterans and their family members.

Hundreds of public and private partners work collaboratively as part of Be Connected to form an Ecosystem of Support for all those who serve and those who love and support them. “Part of the education and outreach work we do through Be Connected provides people with information so they can be a part of a larger effort to reduce suicide among Arizona’s service members and veterans,” said Thomas Winkel, Director of the Arizona Coalition for Military Families. “Helping to prevent suicide upstream can be as simple as listening and sharing the phone number to our Support Line to provide someone so they can be connected to resources and work through issues they are facing.”

The Support Line provides connections to resources and problem-solving by live, locally-based Resource Navigators, many of whom are veterans or related to veterans. The Resource Navigators and Support Line are important components of the Be Connected program created as a way to reduce suicide among Arizona’s service members by identifying and addressing needs and issues upstream before the stress and situation can escalate into a crisis that can lead to suicide.

“It is our distinct honor to recognize the work that brands, organizations, and individuals are all making to create an impact in their community,” said Jessica Lauretti, Managing Director, The Anthem Awards. “We launched this platform to show the world that all corners of our culture, from sports and entertainment to business leaders and celebrities, are all standing up to say, it is time for systemic change and that social good is what we value as a society.”

The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities.

Anthem Winners are selected by judges from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include Daniel Dae Kim (actor, producer, and activist);  Ashley Judd (Author, Actor, and Social Justice Humanitarian); Mitchell Baker (CEO and chairwoman, Mozilla); Lisa Sherman (president and CEO, Ad Council), Sarah Kate Ellis (president and CEO, GLAAD); Renata Erlikhman (chief investment officer, OW Management); Shayla Tait (director of philanthropy, The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation); Russlynn Ali (CEO and co-founder, XQ Institute); Marc Ecko (chief commercial officer and board member, XQ Institute); Heidi Arthur (chief campaign development officer, Ad Council); and Alexis M. Herman (chair and chief executive officer, New Ventures, and former U.S. secretary of labor).

For more information on Be Connected, visit ConnectVeterans.org and call the Be Connected Support Line at 866-4AZ-VETS (866-429-8387).

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About The Anthem Awards
The Anthem Awards was developed to recognize the breadth of social good work (online and offline) around the globe by honoring the organizations, brands, and people creating long-lasting impact in a variety of categories including Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Education, Art, & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment, & Climate. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ. View the 2022 Winners.

About the Arizona Coalition for Military Families
The mission of the Arizona Coalition for Military Families is to connect the 500,000+ military members, veterans and their families in Arizona to the right resources at the right time through the Be Connected program. The Coalition is recognized as a national leader for its ability to bring together Arizona’s public and private sector partners in a unified effort. Launched in 2009, the Coalition works nationally and locally to advocate for service members, veterans and their families. The Coalition works collaboratively to build and sustain an Ecosystem of Support needed to sustain Arizona’s statewide capacity to care for, serve and support service members, veterans and their families. The Coalition’s membership extends across all levels of local, county, state and federal government as well as a vast network of private companies, healthcare providers, faith-based organizations, higher education institutions and non-profit partners. To learn more about the Arizona Coalition for Military Families, visit www.ArizonaCoalition.org.

About the Be Connected® Program
Be Connected is the program of the Arizona Coalition for Military Families that links Arizona service members, veterans, families and community helpers to information, support and resources for employment, healthcare, wellness benefits and more. Be Connected includes a support line, a resource matching website, a statewide team of community-based navigators and no-cost training. Launched with the help, support and guidance of the late Senator John McCain, and now operated with support from the Governor’s Office, the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and other partners, Be Connected is available to any member of the military, any veteran and their family members regardless of era or length of service, discharge status or disability status. Anyone who served or anyone supporting those who served can call 866-4AZ-VETS (866-429-8387) for support. Organizations that want to support and join our efforts should begin by completing an application. For more information, to find support and learn more, visit www.ConnectVeterans.org.

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Be Connected and ConnectVeterans.org are provided in partnership by:
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Special thanks to the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family for their partnership and support.

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