Funding to Scale Nationally

As of October 2022, Avalon, which has been delivering programing since 2019, evolved into the Avalon Action Alliance, a stand-alone non-profit entity with CEO Joe Brennan at the helm.

Given initial fundraising of over $66 million and heightened issue urgency, our vision has grown to serving on a fully national scale.

What is Avalon?

Avalon Action Alliance is the post-trauma wellness non-profit helping veterans, first responders and their families gain control over issues related to mental wellness and brain health.

We’re the one collaborative resource providing veterans and first responders services at no cost for the three interrelated post-trauma impacts: depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and substance abuse.

The symptoms and signs of these invisible wounds are interrelated and difficult to diagnose. Avalon provides a single point of contact and integrative assessment for the symptoms of TBI and PTSD to point visitors to the most effective, innovative clinical and non-clinical pathways they need.

AVALON'S LEADERSHIP

Joe Brennan is Avalon’s first CEO since its launch in 2019. Joe brings over three decades of experience as a CEO, founder, and growth driver, predominately in the medical and pharmaceutical arena. His previous successes driving early-stage healthcare companies, building strong partnerships, and providing extraordinary customer experiences will help Avalon maintain its meticulous standards while scaling quickly.

Joe is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He served in Operation Desert Storm as a Division Officer on the USS Frederick and worked with the Chief of Naval Operations in the Foreign Liaison Office. He has an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. He resides in Atlanta and is married with six kids.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress (PTS) affect nearly 1 out of every 3 military personnel deployed to war zones since 2001.

Winning the Battle Within.

The Avalon Alliance

Since 2019, Avalon has built momentum, added powerful partnerships, and sped progress to achieving our goals. We are scaling the success of two organizations, the Marcus Institute for Brain Health (MIBH) at the University of Colorado’s academic medical campus and Boulder Crest Foundation’s proven Warrior PATHH Program. By leveraging the knowledge, experience, and skills of these two organizations, we have a nationwide network and model that delivers comprehensive solutions to address and mitigate mental wellness and brain injury issues. Partners that treat substance addiction and dependency provide invaluable care to those who need that care in addition to our post-trauma wellness services.

Our current alliance includes mobile teams plus 15 facilities including academic medical centers that specialize in brain health and nonprofit sites delivering our Warrior PATHH program. Our proven success and increasing demand contribute to our momentum toward fully national scale. We’re already serving thousands of veterans and their family members every year and feel urgency to care for them all.

Avalon Funding Partners

Philanthropist Bernie Marcus founded Avalon and was joined by fellow The Home Depot founder, Arthur M. Blank, to jointly seed this national effort. Gary Sinise Foundation and an impressive group of other generous donors including the Goldring Foundation, the Manat Family Foundation, Lockheed Martin, Veterans United Foundation, Anthony Pratt, Jim Irsay, and USAA joins these renowned entrepreneurs.

The Avalon Identity

“Avalon” reflects the healing properties of the mythical island of Avalon and our mission of post-trauma wellness. We pair this healing mindset with “Action Alliance” to indicate our work combatting invisible wounds on systemic and personal levels, and the deeply human connection required on both fronts.

Our logo, “Invisible Storm”, embodies a warrior’s strength and determination to face their mental wellbeing with an optimistic forward view. The human brain is a complex yet solvable puzzle and the star in the center represents the healing destination on a journey that requires courage and perseverance. It honors the brain’s energy, the mind’s ultimate power, and the often-winding journey to a successful solution.

Scaling Our National Growth

TBI Academic Medical Centers

Warrior Pathh Program

Substance Use Treatment

For three years, we have proven results by aligning the groundbreaking work of the Marcus Institute for Brain Health and the Boulder Crest Foundation for Posttraumatic Growth programs, a scientific framework that explains the positive transformation that can occur following trauma.