Hailey Dollar Puts Her Money Where Her Mouth is For Our Veterans
As Hailey Dollar sat on my couch for this interview, two of my small dogs attacking her with attention, she summed herself up in one sentence. “When I am famous one day, I’m going to demand every interview be conducted with a gaggle of small animals.” Hailey’s overwhelming confidence is counterbalanced by an honest passion for giving a shit.
After serving as a U.S. Army medic from 2008-2013, Hailey wrote an autobiography, A Girl Lost to the World and Found in the Art of War, in an attempt to turn her negative experiences into something positive. She talked to others experiencing PTSD, depression, and other debilitating circumstances while writing it. “I heard many unforgettable personal stories that I thought deserved to be more than just a chapter in a book. I wanted them to inspire others long term, not just until the book was closed.” She was also chosen to train as a peer mentor with the Wounded Warrior Project in Nashville, though policy inhibited her ability to participate. “They couldn’t find a match for me. Women must be matched with women, and there were only males.”
But she wouldn’t be stopped from making a difference. Possessing no training in business or technology, Hailey created My Mentor Rocks (MMR), a social network geared towards providing mentorship services, resource referrals, and programs for suicide prevention. MMR focuses on veterans, those with mental disabilities, and the LGBTQ community, with plans for Youth support. Two close friends helped her get MMR off the ground. “I couldn’t have done this without Cindy Roberts,” she professed with admiration.
MMR is a 5013C (Not for Profit) organization and relies on donations. Hailey opted not to spend that money on a web developer. “The first website looked like MySpace’s dysfunctional sister. So one night, while the kids slept, I stayed up for 12 hours revamping it.” The site not only looks professional now, it’s useful. “There are thousands of non-profits that can help people, but in a crisis situation, it isn’t feasible to weed through search results. Many federal assistance resources are compiled on the MMR website. We are working on adding state level resources, starting with Virginia.” MMR boasts 1000 mentees globally. With zero paid advertising, they get upwards of 2,500 unique worldwide visitors a month.
photo via instagram.com/haileydollar
Although MMR requires strict screening and training for its mentors they are not licensed professionals. “Some people need a friend before visiting a doctor. Some people just need a friend. Like friends, we can be unbiased and make suggestions. We can help people find the help they need.” And MMR will be there even if the situation is chronic or temporary. “There isn’t a magic pill or therapy that works for everyone. But encouragement to find whatever mix keeps them living and as happy as possible is constant.”
MMR’s social presence extends beyond the online space. They attend events to educate as well as learn. “Each letter of LGBTQ represents a unique type of person and countless unique individuals. We talked to as many of them as possible to offer the best individual support possible.” The same approach is applied to their planned youth program. “We are attending Warped Tours this summer in Charlotte and Virginia Beach to reach out to youths and find out what kind of support we can offer.”
“Mentor Mark is one of our best. He is very vocal about his life and decisions. At the recent Pride festival in Hampton, the parents of a transgender female- who had experienced issues with depression after coming out- thanked him for his openness and inspiration with a huge hug.” That encounter encompasses one of the pillar goals of MMR: to make the world a smaller place via shared experience.
On September 10th, after only a year in operation, MMR will hold a fundraising/variety event in Hampton, Virginia: Cowboys Versus Aliens. Initially conceived as a drag show, the event was broadened to a variety show to offer a spectacle that anybody would want to see. “I don’t want to scare of the normal clients. I want people to attend and be excited for something different. I want people to make up their minds by integrating and actually experiencing our differences instead of letting the media dictate their opinions.” Performers at the show will include comedians, drag kings and queens, burlesque acts, fire-breathers, and more. They’ve even been able to convince Canada’s Richard Cardinal, ‘The World’s First Scream King’, this is a cause worth supporting.
Hailey sums up her dedication to MMR and those they help better in 8 words than I could ever hope to in 800. “In today’s world, one suicide is too many.”
