Warrior Wellness Monthly

9/11 Heroes Run 5K

September 12, 2026

Houston, TX

September is both Suicide Prevention Month and National Recovery Month, and both are very close to our hearts and the work we do at Warrior Spirit. We believe in recovery. We believe in second chances. And we believe there is life on the other side of some really hard days. We also believe deeply in the power of connection. Sometimes a person doesn’t need someone with all the answers. They simply need someone willing to listen without judgment and say, “I’m here.” So check on your people - the veteran who always says they’re fine, the first responder who keeps showing up, the person in recovery, the strong friend or the one who has gotten quiet. Ask the question. Make the call. Send the text. And if you’re the one having a hard time, please reach out!

Gabe & Ashley Onofre

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988. Veterans can call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.

Warrior Spirit

Community Highlights

100 Men & Women — Houston

Warrior Spirit was honored to be one of three charities featured during a special Veterans and First Responders evening hosted by 100 Men & Women Who Give a Damn Houston. Alongside Career Gear and Freewheels Houston, we had the opportunity to share our mission, the people we serve and the impact this work is making in our communities. We left the evening incredibly grateful — for every person who listened to our story, believed in our mission and chose to give a donation in support of those we serve.

Community Foundation of
Brazoria County

Warrior Spirit has received a Women Building Community Grant from The Community Foundation of Brazoria County in support of women veterans from Brazoria County who participate in Rise & Reclaim. This funding will provide outdoor wellness, gardening and art experiences, along with mental health peer support - creating meaningful opportunities for women veterans to connect, recharge, build relationships and strengthen their overall well-being. We are incredibly grateful to Women Building Community and The Community Foundation of Brazoria County for believing in our mission and investing in the women who have served our country.

TNMP Invests in Outdoor Wellness for Veterans & Military Families

We were honored to receive a $5,000 Power Grant from Texas-New Mexico Power in support of Warrior Spirit’s Outdoor Wellness Initiative for Veterans and Military Families, including outdoor experiences for women veterans through Rise & Reclaim.

Through gardening, hiking, sailing, equine experiences, time in nature and peer support, this grant will help us create more opportunities for veterans and military families to connect, recharge and thrive.

We are incredibly grateful to TNMP for investing in our mission and the men, women and families we serve.

The Power of Surrender at Spiritual Care Network

On September 9, Gabe had the opportunity to share “The Power of Surrender” at Spiritual Care Network in Houston! God brought people into the room who had never attended an SCN meeting before, each with their own story, their own journey and something meaningful to share. What began as Gabe sharing a message about surrender became a table filled with stories, connection and faith. People didn’t just receive - they shared. Thank you, SCN, for this amazing opportunity!

September was the beginning of something we’ve been looking forward to for a long time — Rise & Reclaim, Warrior Spirit’s Women Veterans Wellness Initiative! We began with our Welcome Gatherings and our first mental health and MST peer support circles, creating space for women veterans to meet, share, listen and begin getting to know one another. And those connections are already moving beyond Zoom - coming together for the 9/11 Heroes Run in Houston and the Backing the Brave Fall Festival in Spring. One of our Rise & Reclaim Army veterans shared, “It feels good to be part of something where we can get to know each other, have fun and share new experiences together. I’m especially excited about the pottery class and getting out on the water for sailing!” That is exactly what we wanted Rise & Reclaim to become - not simply a program or a calendar of activities, but a place for women veterans to connect, build friendships, try new things and find community with other women who understand. For more information on Rise & Reclaim, email Ashley.Onofre@warriorspirittexas.org

Rise & Reclaim Ambassador

and Backing the Brave TX owner

Amanda Csombok welcomes guests to

the Backing the Brave Festival alongside

Warrior Spirit Executive Director and Chaplain Gabe Onofre, who prayed

over the festival and the veterans

and first responders in attendance.

We had a fantastic time at Texas A&M University at Galveston’s Health Fair, connecting with students and talking about life, college, the military and caring for ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually. We also shared a lot about the power of peer support - having someone who will listen, who gets it and who reminds you that you don’t have to carry the hard stuff alone. Grateful for everyone who stopped by our table to talk with us, learn a little more about Warrior Spirit and took a little light with them - literally! Our mini flashlights were a hit! Thanks … and Gig ’em!

Servant Spotlight:

SPARC — Suicide Prevention
and Resource Coordination

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and for this month’s Servant Spotlight, we’re highlighting SPARC - Suicide Prevention and Resource Coordination, a Greater Houston coalition working to prevent suicide among service members, veterans, law enforcement and their families.

SPARC brings together interagency leaders from across the Greater Houston area to increase awareness of resources, provide education, strengthen community connection and develop actions that help prevent and reduce suicidal behaviors.

To learn more about SPARC and the people behind this important work, we spoke with Janelle Robinette-Long, LPC-S about SPARC’s mission, what drew her personally to suicide prevention and the role each of us can play in creating a more suicide-safe community.

For Janelle, that work is deeply personal.

“I was a police officer before becoming a therapist, and I have always had a deep affinity for people who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good - the people who run toward the fire, who step up when others step back, and who has to make life-changing decisions in the blink of an eye.”

Through her work in suicide prevention, Janelle has also had the opportunity to get to know many people in the veteran community - people she describes as some of the most passionate, authentic, interesting and hilarious people she knows.

“After all the veterans have done to protect others, I’m proud to be part of the community that works to protect them in return. For me, suicide prevention isn’t just responding to a crisis, - it’s about making sure the people who spent much of their lives looking out for others know that someone is looking out for them, too.”

We All Have a Role

One thing Janelle wishes more people understood about suicide prevention is that we all have a role to play.

Evaluation and treatment are for the experts, but the people around us every day may be the first to notice when someone is behaving differently or displaying warning signs.

When we are concerned about someone, Janelle wants people to know that it is okay to ask directly: “Are you having thoughts of suicide?”

Resources such as 988 can also help when someone needs assistance with what to do next. Veterans - or those calling about a veteran - can call 988 and press 1.

Turning Awareness Into Action

SPARC helps connect the community with a variety of suicide prevention education and training opportunities. These range from facilitated conversations and highly specialized trainings designed with specific populations and communities in mind to ASIST, a two-day, in-depth workshop for people who want to feel confident helping someone at risk.

For someone who wants to help create a more suicide-safe community, Janelle encourages them to sign up for an ASIST training through the Houston Area Suicide Prevention Coalition or reach out through the website to learn more about how to get involved.

SPARC:

https://houstonareasuicideprevention.org/sparc

Training & Education:

https://houstonareasuicideprevention.org/ethanslegacyinstitute