State News
August recognized as Hidden Heroes Month in Virginia
Governor Glenn Youngkin has officially recognized August as Hidden Heroes Month in the Commonwealth of Virginia to honor the millions of military and veteran caregivers in Virginia and throughout the United States who care for those wounded, ill, or injured who have served our nation throughout wars and conflicts.
“Virginia is proud to partner with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and their Hidden Heroes program to support and acknowledge caregivers that receive little support or acknowledgment for their selfless sacrifices,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “In fact, most of these Hidden Heroes simply consider the challenging work they do as unconditional love or carrying out their civic and patriotic duty, without realizing they should be categorized as caregivers. I call on all my fellow Virginians to join me in thanking and supporting them. They deserve nothing less.”
“As a veteran, I have seen the devotion that these caregivers provide every day to their loved ones who sacrificed so much for our Nation,” said Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Craig Crenshaw. “If Virginia is going to remain the best state for veterans and their families to live, work and thrive, we must never forget how important these Hidden Heroes are and provide them with the support they need and deserve. This we pledge to do today and always.”
“I’ve seen first-hand the tremendous impact 5.5 million young spouses, mothers, dads, siblings, and other loved ones make in the lives of wounded warriors every day, in neighborhoods large and small, in states like Virginia and across the country,” said Senator Elizabeth Dole, Founder of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “Today, we are one step closer to ensuring that these caregivers are woven into the fabric of our nation’s appreciation of the military. My heartfelt thanks to Governor Youngkin and his team for their strong support of military caregivers, America’s hidden heroes.”
“For those Hidden Heroes throughout Virginia who would like to know what resources are available for them in their community and for others who wish to help these caregivers, all of us at the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) stand ready to assist,” said Daniel Gade, Commissioner of DVS.
In the Certificate of Recognition, Governor Youngkin recognizes that many of these caregivers are the parents, spouses, siblings, and friends of these wounded, ill, or injured men and women. Their daily tasks can include bathing, feeding, dressing, and dressing grievous injuries, administering medications, providing emotional support, caring for the family and home, and working outside the home to earn essential income.
For more information about the Hidden Heroes Program and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, go to www.HiddenHeroes.org or www.elizabethdolefoundation.org.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with more than 40 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. VDVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans. Today, DVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The agency operates long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
For questions regarding caregiver programs in Virginia, email info@dvs.virginia.gov, or visit your local DVS office.
Virginia Attorney General Creates Worker, Federal Accountability Units as Office Highlights Meta Settlement
VDOT: Warren County Traffic Alert for September 7 – 11, 2026
Twenty-Five Years Later, Remembering When We Stood Together
U.S. Adds 162,000 Jobs in August as Manufacturing and Construction Hiring Rises
Spanberger Taps Daniel Young to Lead Government Watchdog Office
Update: Cline Appears Without Democratic Opponent at Winchester Congressional Event
UVA Health Experts Urge Athletes to Recognize Concussion Warning Signs as Fall Sports Begin
Bumblebees Solve Puzzle Without Training, Study Finds
Business Growth Series: “What If” Thinking Is Costing You Money
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Calls on Community to Take Action Against Hunger in September
Virginia State Police Seize Guns, Nearly $200,000 in Cash During Weekly Crime Operations
The Queen is Gone. There Will Never Be Another
WC Public Schools Gets Engineers Status Assessment on E. Wilson Morrison Physical Plant Issues
Virginia House Speaker Details ‘Concerns’ About NextEra-Dominion Merger in Letter to State Regulators
Consumer Sentiment Tumbles as Virginians Feel Pressure from Inflation, New Poll Finds
Engineers Find Façade Failure at E. Wilson Morrison, Main Structural System Shows No Visible Distress
Buy It in Virginia, Consume It in Virginia, and Leave It in Virginia: The Golden Rule for 2027
Dawson Sheen Academy Plans New Shenandoah Valley High School for 2027
Wittman Voted 60 Times to Undo the Affordable Care Act. Then He Backed Extending Its Subsidies
As Sports Betting Surges, Virginia Weighs How to Curb Gambling Harms
USPS Whistleblower Predicts ‘Catastrophic’ Effect on Elections Under Trump Vote-by-Mail Order
Teenage Gunman Dead After Opening Fire Inside Virginia Elementary School Wednesday Morning
Michael Lee “Mike” “Grandpa” Soyars (1970 – 2026)
Gilbert R. “Skip” Simmons Jr (1949 – 2026)
