VWC Overview

Bastion’s Veteran Wellness Center

A resource hub for New Orleans area veterans

At Bastion, no veteran heals alone. That’s why we built a brand new 10,000 square foot Veteran Wellness Center to make our transformative programs and unique model of care accessible to more of the 15,000+ veterans who call New Orleans home.

Resources and Amenities:

Treatment rooms for one-on-one social work sessions, occupational therapy, and other individual services
Large flex rooms for programs like Headway and Wellness Intensive to facilitate wellness activities, adaptive exercise, discussion groups, educational workshops, and other group activities
An auditorium for community events, speakers, and Bastion town hall meetings
A community garden to grow food for our pantry while providing opportunities for agricultural education
A coffee cart area where veterans can connect, socialize, and familiarize themselves with Bastion, our Veteran Wellness Center offerings, and our supportive community
A covered outdoor pavilion for group or individual exercise
Solar panels that will serve as a sustainable energy source for the building and store back up power in case of storms, allowing the center to serve as a community lighthouse

Veteran Wellness Center FAQ:

What kind of services and programs can I access here?

At the Veteran Wellness Center, any veteran can:

CONNECT: with fellow veterans, dedicated Bastion staff, and a comprehensive array of resources & partner services
ACCESS: all of Bastion's programs and wellness offerings completely free, with some programs offering transportation
SERVE: fellow veterans through mentorship, volunteer hours, or meaningful social connection
ENROLL: in programs developed by Bastion’s staff, like the Headway Program for veterans living with brain injuries, or the Wellness Intensive Series for those seeking improved physical and mental health

Who can utilize the Veteran Wellness Center?

Any veteran is always welcome through our doors, and we always welcome our veterans to bring family and friends with them if they are stopping by for a social event. Our formal programs like Headway and the Wellness Intensive include a formal intake and enrollment process before veterans begin participating in the program, so those activities do not permit walk-ins. Our calendar of events indicates which events are open to the public, to veteran + family and friends, to walk-in veterans only, or to formally pre-registered/enrolled veterans.

What can I walk in and access immediately?

As a walk-in, there are a few options for utilizing Bastion’s Veteran Wellness Center.

Social connection: Check out our Coffee Cart, offering beverages on weekday mornings. Outside of Coffee Cart hours, this area is open for veterans to relax, connect, or watch TV. We’ll typically have some board games, books, and light refreshments in this space. You’re also welcome to access our outdoor exercise pavilion, meditation garden, or dedicated seating areas on our deck or in our community garden.
Open-enrollment events: Veterans can view a schedule of open events by dropping in and checking out our events calendar on a large screen in our lobby/social area. Examples of open-enrollment events include weekly, monthly, and one-off activities.
- Weekly: TRE (Tension/Trauma Releasing Exercises), Walk/Run/Roll Group, Bible Study, Sobriety Group
- Monthly: Community Yoga, Warrior Writers Workshop, Game Night
- One-off: Financial Education Workshops, Informational Sessions from Community Partners, Agricultural Sessions in the Community Garden
- See our online calendar of events for more details (link). These events are open to any veteran. Events that require enrollment or RSVP are marked as such.
A face-to-face conversation with a Bastion staff member: We want to know what issues you are dealing with and want to share with you the programs and various resources we can help you to access. For those in need of clinical or specialized resource support, we strive to guarantee a full, in-person interview with our Intake Specialist within 48 hours of first contact. We aim to provide full competency in resource navigation for veterans - if you elevate a problem that we don’t have a direct, onsite resource for, we can connect you with the appropriate community partner, nonprofit organization, or veteran service provider to address those needs.

What do I need to sign up for?

Some events with limited space require an RSVP and will be marked as such in the details of their event calendar listing. Our formal programs like Headway and Wellness Intensive require an intake and enrollment based on your needs and eligibility. Headway is a year-round program with a rolling intake process; Wellness Intensive offers multiple 10-week cohorts per year.

THANK YOU

Major Donors:

Architecture

After designing Phase 1 and Phase 2 of our residential community years ago, Jonathan and his team returned to bring our Veteran Wellness Center vision to life. Their creativity and expertise resulted in a space that is not only beautiful, but sustainable, cohesive, and ADA compliant.

Real Estate:

Our consultant Sandy Stroud supported us through everything from construction timeline development to helping secure state and federal funds.

Financing & New Market Tax Credits:

Bastion’s Veteran Wellness Center project was named the 2025 Novogradac Qualified Low Income Community Investment of the Year in the Small Business category, an award celebrating the exceptional New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) investments made in this project by our partners.

Legal:

Our friends at Longwell Riess provided the legal support to close our NMTC transaction, getting critical funds across the finish line.

City and State Leaders:

This project became reality in part thanks to the efforts of Senator Joseph Bouie and Councilmember Matthew Willard who helped secure $2.9 million in state funding for the project.