As a passionate supporter of those who have served our country as well as an employer of two Veterans within our team, RTS is always honored to help uplift organizations that support Veterans in their ongoing journey to heal and thrive. And it’s with this spirit that we wanted to spotlight the incredible work of the Catch A Lift Fund (CAL), a nonprofit making a truly life-changing difference for Veterans across the nation.

Introducing The Catch A Lift Fund

Dedicated to helping post-9/11 combat-injured Veterans regain their mental and physical health through fitness, The Catch A Lift Fund was founded in honor of Army Cpl. Christopher Coffland. A Baltimore native and avid athlete who played professional sports internationally, Chris was tragically killed during his second week of deployment in Afghanistan.

“Chris was my uncle,” explains Jess Drew, Director of Development at CAL, “and he always believed that if you were physically and physically fit, you could be the best version of yourself. Anytime Chris was going to the gym to get a workout in, he’d always say he was going to ‘catch a lift.’”

This phrase, embodying the boost to Chris’s mental and physical health that working out gave him, inspired the name of the organization. Using their tragic loss as a catalyst for positive change, Chris’s sister, Lynn Coffland, transformed the family’s grief into action by creating Catch A Lift to support the healing process for Veterans—inspired by Christopher’s belief that physical fitness allows individuals to become the best version of themselves.

A Life-Changing Program

Upon joining the program, Veterans are paired with a personal coach who guides them through an eight-week plan to set and achieve fitness and wellness goals. During this time, participants receive one-on-one coaching and personalized resources tailored to their needs. After completing the initial program, Veterans are granted either a gym membership or in-home fitness equipment of their choice.

Beyond fitness, CAL also partners with services like BetterHelp to offer virtual therapy and provide an on-staff social worker for emotional and mental support. Veterans remain part of the CAL community long after their initial program, benefiting from continued mentorship, peer-to-peer connections, and access to educational resources. 

“We pride ourselves on our boutique approach,” says Jess. “Every Veteran is personally contacted and supported, so there’s a lot of personalization and individual attention that’s given to every single person that comes into the program.”

Inspiring Testimonials

The impact of CAL’s work can be seen in the journeys of the Veterans they serve:

Leo Librando

A US Marine Corps Veteran, Leo credits CAL with helping him rediscover his passion for fitness after a challenging transition to civilian life.

“Back in 2019, I was in an intensive outpatient treatment program for PTSD. I noticed another Veteran wearing a Catch A Lift shirt,” Leo recalls. “I asked him about it, and he told me about the program.”

“I’ve always used physical fitness as a way for me to relieve stress,” Leo explains. “But after leaving the Marine Corps, I was medically retired and told I’d never run again or do any martial arts because of a knee replacement and a disk replacement in my neck. So, I lost that.”

“Once I got into the program, my CAL coach helped me get back on track, and that led to going from running a 5K to a full marathon to completing an Ironman,” he shares.

“One thing that I was really grateful to Catch A Lift for was providing me gym equipment to work out at home,” he says. Describing his mindset at the time, Leo shares, “I was really anxious and nervous being around crowds because of my PTSD, so working out at home really helped me find myself again.”

“Catch A Lift had done so much for me, so at some point, I decided I’d like to pay it forward,” Leo says. “Since October of 2003, I’ve been a coach helping other Veterans get back in shape as well.”

Jason Smith

For Jason, a US Army Veteran and double amputee, CAL became a lifeline during one of the darkest times in his life.

“I was an infantryman in the army, and I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012,” Jason explains. “While I was there, I stepped on a bomb, lost both my legs, and sustained extensive right-hand damage. My outlook after that was pretty gloomy. I didn’t really know what I was going to do next.” 

Jason continues, “I was having issues with PTSD and anxiety, and I found that I wasn’t able to really work out because I got looks at the gym. You know, I’m a legless guy—who doesn’t want to know what’s going on there, right? So, I found a flyer for Catch A Lift. I applied for the program and was approved,” Jason says.

“That changed things for me tremendously because I was able to get some gym equipment for my home, and it gave me the boost I needed to get healthy and re-engage with society. After a few years, I was approached by the wonderful Lynn Coffland, and she offered me a job as a coach. I’ve been doing that ever since.”

A Community for Veterans

Both Leo and Jason praise CAL’s holistic approach, which goes beyond fitness. 

“It’s not just about workouts,” Leo said. “Part of this program is also being able to connect with Veterans because most coaches are Veterans too, so they have a better understanding of how to best help you.”

Jason adds, “Fitness for this program is just the tip of the iceberg. Underneath all that, we have a community. We have an internal social platform where Veterans can go and speak to each other. They can see each other’s accomplishments. And that’s a big thing. Because when you leave the service, you miss that camaraderie and connection. We provide that for the Veterans. Without Catch A Lift providing a sort of beacon of light for hope and transitioning post-injury, there’d be a lot of people out there lost and not really knowing which way to go.”

How You Can Help

CAL’s mission is powered by the generosity of individuals and organizations. There are several ways you can support this incredible nonprofit:

• Corporate Partnerships: Businesses looking to make a difference can partner with CAL to provide vital funding and resources.
• Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: Engage your community with creative initiatives. For example, host a fitness fundraiser at your gym or virtually at home. Whether it’s a high school team hosting a car wash, a birthday fundraiser, or a marathon team raising money, CAL provides the software and resources to make these efforts successful.
• Individual Donations: Contributions of any size help CAL continue to provide gym memberships, equipment, and support to Veterans.
• Spread the Word: Share CAL’s mission with your network to help more Veterans find the resources they need.

And your generosity has a huge impact. As Jason explains, “You’re not just helping the Veteran—you’re helping them be a better father or mother, a better partner for their spouse. There’s a ripple effect that extends beyond the individual out into the community.”

To learn more about Catch A Lift Fund and how you can get involved, visit their website at https://catchaliftfund.org.