Padilla and Lundy were selected this month for a national advocacy fellowship with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, representing the 14.3 million family members and friends caring for wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans
On May 21, Dole Caregiver Fellows from across the nation joined the Elizabeth Dole Foundation on Capitol Hill for a day of advocacy on behalf of America’s 14.3 million military and veteran caregivers. Photo Courtesy of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.
Washington, D.C. (June 6, 2025) – As part of Month of the Military Caregiver, Kasandra Padilla of Magnolia, Texas and Oddise Lundy of Rosenberg, Texas traveled to Washington, D.C. with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to meet with elected leaders about the gaps in support offered to Americans caring for loved ones living with military-connected wounds and illnesses. Padilla and Lundy also participated in the Foundation’s National Convening on Military and Veteran Caregiving, which included Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego, and U.S. Senator David McCormick and The Honorable Dina Powell McCormick.
Padilla and Lundy are members of the Foundation’s 2025 Class of Dole Caregiver Fellows, a national advocacy program that trains military and veteran caregivers to share their experiences with local and national leaders and create supportive networks between caregivers, veterans, and their communities in their home states.
Padilla serves as a caregiver for her husband who suffers from PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Her story is linked here.
Lundy serves as a caregiver for her husband who suffers from nerve damage, a TBI and PTSD. Her story is linked here.
In addition to providing firsthand insights on caregiving, the Dole Caregiver Fellows brought attention to the Foundation’s recent RAND study, America’s Military and Veteran Caregivers: Hidden Heroes Emerging from the Shadows, which revealed that the value of their unpaid care reaches upwards of $400 billion annually. Family caregivers also promote better outcomes for the veterans they care for, promote family cohesion, help fill gaps caused by shortages of care professionals, and support the emotional and mental health needs of their loved ones.
Unfortunately, the rise in caregiving needs has coincided with increased negative circumstances for caregiving families, including:
· One-third of military and veteran caregiving families living at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty line
· Food insecurity among those caring for a veteran under age 60 reaching 40 percent
· At least 5.5 million kids and teens growing up in military and veteran caregiving households and experiencing both positive and negative outcomes, including spikes in anxiety, social isolation, and trouble in school
The Dole Caregiver Fellows, named for the Foundation’s founder Senator Elizabeth Dole, are available for media interviews, speaking engagements, and meetings with organizations that wish to lend their support. In addition, anyone who provides care or assistance to a loved one who has served is invited to join the Hidden Heroes Caregiver Community, an exclusive online community that provides resources, information, and peer support to military and veteran caregivers. Learn more at the Foundation’s website at elizabethdolefoundation.org.
About the Elizabeth Dole Foundation
The Elizabeth Dole Foundation is the preeminent organization empowering, supporting, and honoring our nation’s 14.3 million military and veteran caregivers—the spouses, parents, family members, and friends who care for America’s wounded, ill, or injured service members and veterans. Established by Senator Elizabeth Dole in 2012, the Foundation adopts a comprehensive approach in its support and advocacy, working with leaders in the public, private, nonprofit, and faith communities to recognize military and veteran caregivers’ service and support their well-being. The Foundation’s Hidden Heroes Campaign brings vital attention to the untold stories of military and veteran caregivers and provides a network for these caregivers to connect with their peers and access carefully vetted resources. Visit elizabethdolefoundation.org for more information.
