Starting a New Chapter
Most chapters of The Veterans Club begin in a very ordinary way.
A couple veterans or first responders decide to meet for coffee. Someone invites a friend. The next week a few more people show up. Conversations start, stories are shared, and before long a small group begins to form. No speeches, no pressure—just people who understand each other spending time together.
That simple gathering is the heart of The Veterans Club.
Our mission is to end veteran and first responder suicide by building strong friendships and real community. The way we do that is through consistent gatherings—usually a weekly coffee meeting—where people can show up, relax, and reconnect with the kind of camaraderie many of us miss after service.
If you’ve ever thought your town could use something like that, you might be exactly the person who can help start it.
You don’t need a big plan. You don’t need a large group. Most chapters begin with just a few people willing to show up each week and welcome whoever walks through the door.
When the time is right, The Veterans Club can help you turn that local gathering into an official chapter. We’ve created a Quick Start Guide and a How to Start and Sustain a Weekly Veterans Club Chapter guide to help you think through the details.
But the real beginning is much simpler than any document.
If you believe your community could use a place where veterans and first responders can gather, talk, and look out for one another, you may already be the person who can start it.
All it takes is a table, a cup of coffee, and the willingness to invite others.
Phone: (208) 209-7170
Email: info@theveteransclub.org
More Information on Starting a New Chapter
Our founder, Ed, writes a lot...I mean A LOT. OK, it is important stuff, but GEEEZS! You can click and download the Quick Start Guide and How to Start and Sustain a Weekly Veterans Club Chapter, but there is another resource: Facilitators' Corner. Click this link to see articles written for Facilitators' Corner, and other article written for the new chapter startup: https://theveteransclub.org/tag/startinganewchapter/
Becoming an Official Chapter of The Veterans Club
Many chapters begin as a small local gathering. Over time, when the group becomes steady and leadership begins to take shape, it may make sense to become an official chapter of The Veterans Club.
Doing so connects your group to the larger mission and provides important structure and protection for everyone involved.
Becoming an official chapter is a simple process:
1. Start Gathering Locally
Most chapters begin with a weekly coffee meeting or small gathering. The goal is simply to bring veterans and first responders together and begin building relationships.
2. Establish Consistency
As the group grows, regular weekly meetings help create trust, familiarity, and a healthy culture.
3. Connect With The Veterans Club
When you feel your local group is ready, reach out and share what you’ve started. We’ll talk through your community, leadership, and next steps.
4. Review the Chapter Guides
Our Quick Start Guide and How to Start and Sustain a Weekly Veterans Club Chapter guide will help you understand how healthy chapters operate.
5. Complete Chapter Setup
Official chapters operate under The Veterans Club’s umbrella, which includes leadership alignment, branding standards, and organizational protections such as insurance coverage.
6. Welcome Your Community
Once established, your chapter becomes part of a growing national effort to bring veterans and first responders together and reduce isolation.
Why Become an Official Chapter?
Official chapters receive guidance, shared resources, and the protection of operating within the larger organization. Most importantly, they become part of a mission that reaches far beyond one town or one meeting.
Every new chapter means another community where veterans and first responders can find connection, friendship, and support.