Pin Ups, 20,000 Veterans, 50 States, One Mission | Gina Elise on Pin Up for Vets

About this story

In this episode, we sit down with Gina Elise, founder of Pin Up for Vets, a nonprofit she started in 2006 to support Veterans through hospital visits and fundraising that helps provide rehab equipment for Veterans hospitals across the United States. Gina explains how classic World War II pin up art inspired a modern mission, including a pin up calendar fundraiser and a 50 state hospital tour where pin ups and female Veterans visit patients bed to bed and room to room to boost morale and remind them they are not forgotten.

We talk about how military life can feel hyper masculine and mission driven, and why this project matters for both the Veterans in the hospital and the women Veterans who become Pin Up for Vets ambassadors. Gina shares powerful moments from VA hospital visits, including a story involving a Veteran with a traumatic brain injury and how a simple conversation had a bigger impact than she realized. This is a conversation about community, identity after service, and the real power of showing up for someone on a hard day.

Pin Up for Vets started in 2006.
Website: https://pinupsforvets.com

If you want to support the mission, you can grab the calendar and other merch directly through their site.
If you are a female Veteran interested in applying for a future calendar, check Pin Up for Vets on social for casting information.

In their words

“A lot of times Veterans will start to cry because I think that they feel like they might have been forgotten.”

“I think not only is it beneficial for the patients, but it’s also beneficial for our ambassadors that are getting to find purpose again after getting out.”

“A lot of these Veterans start to tell us their stories, and they want to talk because a lot of them don’t have other people to talk to.”