Honorably Serving the Healthcare Needs of Our Heroes

About VH+WA

Veterans Health + Wellness Alliance was founded by Ken and Janie Garber after witnessing firsthand the lasting impact of service through their son’s eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps, including combat deployments to Afghanistan (OEF), Iraq (OIF), and a training mission in Africa.

What began as a deeply personal journey became a mission to ensure no Veteran carries the weight of their experience alone.

Rooted in the local community with the Founders having over 20 years of counseling experience, a background in ministry, and hands-on work with Veteran treatment programs and courts, VH+WA exists to fund holistic healing and deliver care Veterans can trust.

Meet Our Board of Directors

  • Close-up of smiling middle-aged man with short gray hair, wearing a black collared shirt, in a well-lit room with blurred background.

    Ken Garber

    Co-Founder, Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor II

    As a dad to a USMC Combat Veteran, I have seen over the years that many of our Veterans need help with the high costs involved in receiving care outside of what their insurance pays for, which is why we formed Veterans Health + Wellness Alliance. It’s an honor to give back to these men and women who have given so much to our country.

    I really enjoy my work with Veterans as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADAC II) in the Williamson County Veterans Treatment Court, as well as with private clients in the community. With expertise in advocacy and building strong relationships, I support clients and their families in every way I can. Designing creative and interactive workshops for individuals in addiction recovery, and teaching insightful and supportive family education groups, are also things I enjoy doing.

    My wife, Janie, and I have always tried to live life to the fullest and enjoy spending time with our son and his family, as well as with our friends near and far, eating good food, and exploring new places together.

  • Close-up of a smiling woman with red hair and blue eyes, wearing a black top, standing in front of a window with sunlight coming through.

    Janie Garber

    Co-Founder, Functional Nutrition Health Coach and Life Coach

    My husband, Ken, and I have a long history of caring deeply about Veterans, starting in our own family with our son, who served in the USMC for eight years, and was deployed to combat zones in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), in addition to training national security forces in Africa (MTT Africa). We’ve seen firsthand the need for health and wellness services beyond what is covered insurance-wise for our country’s Veterans and decided to form Veterans Health + Wellness Alliance to help solve this problem.

    Ken and I have been married for nearly 40 years and I love being Mike’s mom, and Gigi to our fantastic grands. Over the years, Ken and I have enjoyed living in various places across the USA and especially loved our time living in Europe as missionaries. Building communities of support and resources is one of my strengths, and I really enjoy supporting our Veterans in this way.

  • A young man with short dark hair, wearing black glasses, smiling, in an outdoor setting with green blurred foliage in the background.

    Steven Perales

    Board of Directors, 10-year Air Force Active Duty, One-Year Reserves, Five years Private Military Contracting

    I have spent time in many combat zones, but most of my deployed life was in Doha, Qatar and Kandahar, Afghanistan. I am a husband and father, and currently in my Senior Year at Belmont University to attain a degree in Business/Psychology to be able to give back to my community of Veterans in a tangible way.

    My personal experiences with areas of growth in the medical and mental health arenas, which are currently available to Veterans, have fueled a passion in me to be part of what can be a better step towards what our Veterans deserve to address their needs.

    Personally, I am always looking at what I can do to be a better father, and chasing the passion to give back to our Veterans helps me to fill my new purpose cup to pour into my children.

  • Steve Freeman

    Treasurer, Board of Directors, Certified Public Accountant since 1987

    As our kids were in high school, my wife, Ilene, and I picked up a ‘bonus kid’,  a young man who wanted a steady place to stay as his dad was serving as Master Chief with the Seabees. We enjoyed being supportive and watching as he succeeded through high school and college obtaining a bachelor's degree. Upon graduating, he chose to join the Navy, entering as an officer. We continued to support through the years and experienced his emotional struggles on deployment and at home base. Sadly, his older brother, an Air Force Officer, died by suicide while his brother (our bonus kid) was away on deployment. Through this tragedy, we learned that being a Veteran is not an easy path and we wish to support programs that provide care and guidance to those that give their life to serve our country.

    My hobbies include racecars, welding, astronomy, tennis, and playing musical instruments (guitar, saxophone, flute, mandolin, harmonica, plus many others). Ilene and I enjoy concerts and outdoor adventuring – RV camping, backpacking, hiking, climbing, and star gazing, as well as road trips across the country and visiting our kids and grandkids.

Transparency & Financials

As a new nonprofit organization, we don't yet have financial reports to share. Once available, this is where you'll find our annual reports, financial statements, and other documents that reflect our commitment to transparency and accountability. We believe the people who support our mission deserve full visibility into how their generosity is put to work.

Letter of Recommendation - Judge Timothy Tepe, Warren County Veterans Honor Court
Letter of Recommendation - Monica Thomas, Warren County Veterans Honor Court

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • VH+WA was founded in 2026.

  • VH+WA was formed in Franklin, Tennessee for Veterans who served on or after September 11, 2001, and founded by the parents of a USMC Combat Veteran, who decided to try and help solve the crisis that Veterans face when needing additional care beyond what their insurance covers.

  • VH+WA is able to accept donations as a Publicly Funded Charity in the Applied For Status of the Charitable 501(c)(3) Non-Profit application system under our EIN #41-4330879. Our anticipated timeline for this approval is prior the end of 2026.

  • VH+WA currently serves Tennessee Veterans who served our country on or after September 11, 2001.

  • Rather than spread ourselves too thin, VH+WA currently serves Veterans who served our country on or after September 11. 2001, whose population has less Veteran organizations to help them than the heroes who served in previous conflicts.