Red Star Foundation Launches First-Ever National Veteran Suicide Resource Directory With 492 Organizations Already Listed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | NOV. 11, 2026
Red Star Foundation Launches First-Ever National Veteran Suicide Resource Directory With 492 Organizations Already Listed
Free nationwide directory connects veterans, current military, first responders and families with critical support while giving smaller nonprofits greater opportunities for national visibility.
CLEARWATER, Fla., Nov. 11, 2026 — Red Star Foundation has launched the nation's first national resource directory dedicated specifically to veteran suicide prevention and postvention, featuring 492 organizations at launch and opportunities for hundreds more to participate free of charge.
The National Suicide Prevention & Postvention Resource Directory addresses two major challenges: helping individuals and families find the assistance they need and helping organizations, particularly smaller nonprofits and community-based programs, reach those who need their services.
Unlike directories focused on general veteran services, this new national platform brings together suicide prevention, intervention and postvention resources serving veterans, current military, first responders and families affected by suicide loss.
Giving Smaller Nonprofits National Visibility
One of the directory's primary objectives is to help smaller organizations overcome a significant barrier to their success: being discovered.
Across the country, local nonprofits and grassroots organizations provide essential services but often operate with limited budgets, small staffs and little funding for marketing or advertising.
As a result, individuals searching for help may never discover organizations offering precisely the services they need.
"A small nonprofit in rural America might be doing extraordinary work helping veterans or surviving families, but if people don't know it exists, its ability to help is limited," said Jerry Shaffer, founder and CEO of Red Star Foundation. "Some of the most effective organizations are also the least visible. We want to change that by giving them a national platform where people can discover their services without requiring them to spend money on advertising."
The directory provides eligible organizations free listings, helping expand their visibility, strengthen referral networks and connect with veterans and families beyond their immediate communities.
492 Organizations at Launch, With Nationwide Expansion Underway
With 492 organizations already represented, the directory provides a centralized platform for discovering assistance across multiple areas of need.
Resources include suicide prevention, mental health counseling, peer support, crisis intervention, substance use treatment, housing assistance, financial support, employment services, family assistance and suicide loss postvention.
Rather than navigating numerous unrelated websites, visitors can explore organizations and services relevant to their circumstances through one national resource.
"No single organization can address every challenge or meet every need," Shaffer said. "But with 492 organizations already represented, we are beginning to connect the dots. As more organizations participate, we can build a stronger national network that makes it easier for people to find help and for organizations to connect with one another."
Red Star Foundation is encouraging additional organizations nationwide to register and help expand the directory's coverage.
Connecting People With Support Before a Crisis
Suicide prevention extends beyond emergency intervention.
Financial instability, unemployment, housing insecurity, relationship difficulties, social isolation and challenges transitioning from military to civilian life can contribute to emotional distress.
Connecting individuals with appropriate assistance early may help address these challenges before they escalate.
"When someone is struggling, the last thing they should have to do is spend hours searching the internet trying to figure out where to turn," Shaffer said. "And when a family is desperately looking for help for someone they love, having access to the right resource at the right time can make all the difference."
By consolidating resources into one searchable platform, the foundation aims to reduce barriers to finding support and help individuals, families and providers identify relevant services more efficiently.
Supporting Families Left Behind After Suicide
A defining feature of the directory is its emphasis on postvention, which provides support to individuals, families and communities following a suicide death.
While suicide prevention receives significant national attention, surviving families often struggle to find specialized assistance addressing their grief, isolation, unanswered questions and the stigma associated with suicide loss.
Surviving spouses, parents, children and siblings may need long-term grief counseling, peer connections, assistance for children and practical support.
Red Star Foundation recognizes these families as Red Star Families, reflecting its mission of Honoring the Forgotten Families.
"For too long, the families left behind after a suicide have been overlooked," Shaffer said. "Preventing the next suicide is critically important, but so is caring for the people who are left behind. We cannot ignore the long-term impact suicide has on spouses, children, parents and entire families."
The directory includes postvention resources designed to connect surviving families with organizations that understand their unique challenges.
Building a Stronger National Network
Beyond connecting individuals with assistance, the directory seeks to strengthen collaboration among organizations working in suicide prevention and postvention.
Many nonprofits operate independently, unaware of complementary programs or specialized services available elsewhere.
A centralized directory can help organizations discover potential partners, establish referral relationships and connect individuals with services beyond their own capabilities.
"We don't need every organization trying to do everything," Shaffer said. "We need organizations working together, understanding what resources exist and connecting people with the services that best meet their needs. The directory can help make that possible."
Organizations Invited to Register for Free
Red Star Foundation invites nonprofits, community organizations, government agencies and other qualified providers offering suicide prevention, postvention or related services to register at no cost.
Organizations can submit information about their programs, geographic coverage, eligibility requirements and contact details for review.
The foundation also offers the Red Star Verified Resource Program, helping users identify organizations that have completed its verification process.
"This is bigger than Red Star Foundation," Shaffer said. "If we help a small nonprofit reach someone it otherwise never would have reached, or help a family discover support they didn't know existed, we are making a difference."
Access the Directory or Register an Organization
Search the National Resource Directory:
https://redstarfoundation.org/veteran-suicide-prevention/resources
Register Your Organization for Free:
https://redstarfoundation.org/veteran-suicide-prevention/resources/register
Red Star Verified Resource Program:
https://redstarfoundation.org/veteran-suicide-prevention/resources/verified-toolkit
About Red Star Foundation
Red Star Foundation is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, dedicated to preventing suicide among current military, veterans and first responders while recognizing and supporting families left behind after suicide loss.
Guided by its pillars of Hope, Recognition and Connection, the foundation advances suicide prevention and postvention through the Red Star Service Banner, Red Star Voices, peer-to-peer support, community engagement and the National Suicide Prevention & Postvention Resource Directory.
Learn more at https://redstarfoundation.org.