Alexandra Powell
One of our clients, Bridge II Sports, has a powerful mission to educate, develop, and implement opportunities for youth, adults and veterans with physical disabilities to play individual, team and recreational sports – finding the player within. This mission and their work was further enhanced when they decided to start the Veteran Fitness Challenge using the Reward Gateway | Edenred wellbeing challenge app.
We are proud to hear of the difference they are making and want to share that work in case it inspires others to connect and support at-risk populations. Thanks to Ashley Thomas, Founder and CEO of Bridge II Sports, and Michelle Viscuse, VFC Program Manager, for joining us to share the VFC story.
What were your goals in starting the Veteran Fitness Challenge?
We are saving lives. That was the point in 2020. We had one veteran commit suicide before the program. We haven’t had that occur since then. It is doing other things too, but our initial goal was saving lives. It is about both physical and mental support. There are people that are really competitive and physically inclined – so it gives them an outlet – and then there are people that are just doing the best they can. And for those folks, they benefit from the connection.
You are really proud of how many people you are able to reach. Tell us more.
We have had 400 veterans from across the country engage at 80% for each challenge! We more than doubled participation from 2023 to 2024. If you have served in war, not everyone understands. If you are having a bad day, you have people that are there for you. When we carry each other’s pain and celebrate the small victories, that is when healing occurs. We found that veterans in rural areas – where they are less likely to have local support – were the most likely to participate. Even the VA knows that the more rural population is tough to reach. Because we can get them talking, they often support each other – “Do you want a free iPad like the one I got? This is who you can reach out to...”
How is each challenge structured?
We kick off each monthly challenge with a Zoom call to get participants connected. Then, during the 14-15 day challenge, they stay connected via the leaderboard and in the chat. We started in 2020 using a different, more public platform, but your app means it is a more private conversation just for the group, and that works better. Plus, they can set any screen name for their account, which allows for privacy where desired.
We used the provided templates in the app to create initial challenges like a photographic scavenger hunt, Walktober Tune into Mindfulness, 14 Days of Gratitude, and DASHember Healthy Holiday Challenge. But now we know the tool well enough, we can create them on our own. And prizes for winners help to motivate. It doesn’t have to be a big thing.
What did you learn about making challenges really successful?
We learned the challenges work best when we create opportunities for participants to interact.
Some of the more complicated challenges we set up weren’t as valuable for participants as those that get them talking to each other. Connection as a focus was key. Our Picture Perfect Nature Challenge had participants posting pictures in the chat, and that really gets the conversation going.
During the Zoom calls, we let people talk about whatever they want and – although it sometimes takes some time – once the conversation gets started, that is where people get so much value. And when someone mentions a milestone – happy or sad – on the call, we follow up with a card or kind word so they know they have support. We have seen a 26% increase in the monthly Zoom attendance since 2023.
Also, because of our audience, the challenge sometimes needs to be less physical. Some are in a facility and undergoing physical therapy, so they can’t move around as much, so we focus on other wellbeing topics as well. We love the access to more modes of wellbeing – dietary and mental. The current technology works well to accurately reflect the actions of those with unique mobility situations.
What advice do you have for others looking to support a community using wellbeing challenges?
Encourage connection, allow them to own the program, and have a voice in the program, and celebrate every victory. Some are always getting 80K steps, but others are doing every bit they can, and I want to celebrate them too.
Are you a Veteran interested in joining the monthly Fitness Challenges? Apply here.
