“The Wall That Heals” Vietnam War Memorial

• “The Wall That Heals” Vietnam War Memorial

Based in Washington, D.C., VVMF (the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund) is the nonprofit organization authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1980 to build a national memorial dedicated to all who served with the U.S. armed forces in the Vietnam War. Incorporated on April 27, 1979 by a group of veterans led by Jan C. Scruggs, the organization sought a tangible symbol of recognition from the American people for those who served in the war.

The result was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (commonly referred to as The Wall), which has become one of the most visited memorials in Washington, D.C. with an estimated 4.5 million annual visitors.

Since the dedication of The Wall, VVMF has pursued a mission of preserving the legacy of The Wall, promoting healing and educating about the impact of the Vietnam War. Our latest initiative is the campaign to build the Education Center at The Wall. The Education Center will show the pictures and tell the stories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam, provide a rich educational experience on the Vietnam War, show some of the more than 400,000 items left at The Wall, and celebrate the values exhibited by America’s service members in all wars.

Our Mission

The mission of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is to honor and preserve the legacy of service and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War.  

• Learn how VVMF pursues its mission.  

Our Vision

The vision of VVMF is to ensure a society in which all who have served and sacrificed in our nation's Armed Forces are properly honored and receive the recognition they justly deserve.

Our Values

• Exemplify the Ideals Embodied by America’s Armed Services
• Act With Integrity in All We Do 
• Perform With Excellence

Our Work

VVMF continues in its mission through numerous activities that include:

PRESERVE

• Care of the Memorial site:  The Memorial Fund takes an active role concerning the physical needs of The Wall, The Three Servicemen statue and flagpole, the directories of names, and the rest of the three-acre site on which the Vietnam Veterans Memorial rests.
• Virtual Wall of Faces:  The Virtual Wall of Faces features a page for every person whose name is on the Memorial. These pages allow family and friends to share memories, post pictures and connect with each other. 
• Faces Never Forgotten: Organizing individuals on the grassroots level to gather photos of those from their communities whose names are on The Wall and pursue remembrance activities in their towns. All photos and stories collected will be featured in the Education Center when it is built and also shared on VVMF’s Virtual Wall of Faces. 
• Memorial Volunteers:  Providing nearly 100 Memorial volunteers with the necessary supplies to continue their useful work of honoring, healing and educating, and hosting an annual appreciation luncheon for these dedicated individuals.
• Name Rubbings from The Wall:  Providing free name rubbings to the public.  These name rubbings help individuals who can't physically or fiscally make it to The Wall to have a special piece of the Memorial.  

HONOR

• Annual Ceremonies:  Hosting ceremonies on Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and during the Christmas holidays, which allow the public throughout the year to remember and pay tribute to friends and loved ones whose names are inscribed on the Memorial.
• The Wall That Heals Traveling Wall and Mobile Museum:  Coordinating and managing The Wall That Heals touring exhibition, featuring a half-scale replica of The Wall and a museum that takes the Memorial’s healing legacy to communities nationwide. Millions of people have visited The Wall That Heals since its 1996 inception.
• In Memory Program:  Maintaining the In Memory program that sets aside a day each year to honor those who served in Vietnam and died prematurely as a result of that service, but whose deaths do not fit the criteria for inclusion on The Wall. This includes deaths that may have resulted from Cholangiocarcinoma, exposure to Agent Orange or PTSD. 

EDUCATE

• Education Programs for Teachers and Students:  Developing and distributing comprehensive and balanced educational materials that incorporate the lessons of the Vietnam War era to provide students with a greater sense of responsibility, leadership and global understanding.  
• Building the Education Center at The Wall:  The Education Center at The Wall will add a new educational and honorific component to one of the nation’s most powerful and moving memorials. It will put a face to every one of the 58,300 names listed on the Wall and help ensure that the Memorial will continue to speak about the importance of honoring our veterans and remembering those who died serving their country. It will serve as a place to better inform the public about the creation of the Memorial and the history of the Vietnam War.  

Our Financial Information

VVMF is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to honoring our nation’s veterans and educating this and future generations about the impact of the Vietnam War. Gifts from the public and grants from corporations and foundations providing funding for VVMF’s outreach efforts. 

- See more at: http://www.vvmf.org/aboutus#sthash.wgArla1E.dpuf