GRuB Veterans Program

The GRuB Veterans Program offers opportunities for Veterans to transform their mission to one that cultivates life, while nourishing our families, our peers, and those in need.

Our Veterans Program supports military Veterans throughout their lifelong transition back into civilian life. With projects supporting entrepreneurial endeavors in agriculture and beekeeping; volunteer gardening activities; and providing space for Veterans to connect with other Veterans;  we're empowering Veterans, active duty service members and their families to establish strong roots in community through continued service, peer-to-peer support, and a deeper connection with the natural world.

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About GRuB's Veterans Program

GRuB offers a variety of activities and projects to build strong relationships and meaningful engagement between and within our local Veteran communities. It is built on the concept that our work is an invitation to participate, learn, teach, and help bridge the divide between Veterans and the community at large.

Read about our current project below:

Healing Through Hives Project

Healing through Hives aims to support a new generation of Veteran beekeepers and Veteran-owned apiaries across Western Washington, in partnership with the Washington Beekeepers Association (WASBA), and the Washington Farmer Veteran Coalition (WA-FVC).

The Healing through Hives project supports Military Veterans and their families to receive beekeeping training/support to achieve their beekeeping goals, whether as a hobby or a business. Through this project, we offer scholarships and other educational and networking opportunities and a chance to become a WASBA certified beekeeper from beginner to master levels. Hands-on, in-person workshops and other opportunities to learn and connect with other Veterans and beekeepers are offered at our Community Apiaries in Olympia, Poulsbo, and Lynden, Washington. Since 2024 we have supported beginning beekeepers in meeting their agricultural enterprise goals by providing pathways, networks, and relationships.

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The fall of 2026 marks the end of GRuB’s Veterans Program’s Healing Through Hives project as our Beginner Farmers and Ranchers Development Program grant period through the USDA comes to a close. We will be spending the remainder of this year wrapping up this project and continuing to support Veteran beekeepers as they work towards their beekeeping and business goals.

As this project comes to a close at the end of September, which has been a hallmark of our Veterans Program over the past 3 years, GRuB and the Veterans Program team have begun looking forward to what the future of Veterans programming at GRuB should and could look like. GRuB has long held Veterans and their families at the forefront of our work. Veterans have been key leaders and community members at GRuB since the inception of this organization, especially in our backyard gardens program, our Veterans Victory Farms, and our current Veterans Program projects.

No matter what the future of GRuB’s Veterans Program looks like, Veterans and their families will continue to be valued and important members of our community.

If you have questions or would like to connect with GRuB’s Veterans Program to learn more about any of our projects, OR if you are an organization that would like to discuss partnership or networking opportunities with GRuB’s Veterans Program, please email veterans@goodgrub.org.