STAY CONECTED TODAY!
A Note From Gina Elise and a "Thank You" For Supporting America's Hospitalized Veterans!
People ask me all the time how the “Pin-Ups For Vets” calendar project came to be...
In 2006, I started seeing news articles about under-funded Veterans’ healthcare programs. Then, there were stories about older Veterans who lay in bed day after day, never receiving any visitors. Reports started surfacing on TV about the severe injuries sustained by our troops fighting in Iraq.
The more I heard about the uphill battles of our Wounded Warriors, the more convinced I was of the need to produce a project that would bring in funds to support all of our hospitalized Veterans.
My late Grandpa Lou served in the Army for 4 years during World War II. I wanted to do something to honor his name. I always loved the romance of those bygone eras - especially the 1940’s - and I drew inspiration from the World War II pin-up girls, whose photos and paintings boosted morale for our soldiers fighting overseas.
I came up with the idea to recreate a nostalgic pin-up calendar that would serve three purposes:
1. The calendars would be sold to raise funds for our hospitalized Veterans.
2. The calendars would be delivered as gifts to our ill and injured Veterans with messages of appreciation from the donors.
3. The calendars would be sent to our deployed troops to help boost morale and to let them know that Americans back home are thinking of them.
The 2024 calendar is our 18th edition, and features 13 female Veterans posing as pin-ups!
To date, we have donated over $100,000 worth of state-of-the-art rehab equipment for VA & Military hospitals nationwide. We are also in the middle of a 50-state VA and Military hospital tour where we bring in donated calendars as gifts of appreciation to our hospitalized Veterans and Wounded Warriors. We have individually visited over 17,000 ill and injured Veterans at their bedsides in over 90 different VA Hospitals, Military hospitals & State Veterans Homes in 37 states across the US.
We have visited our Wounded Warriors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. We have also done morale-boosting visits to our service members at 24 military bases.
Pin-Ups For Vets has received Congressional Recognition and has been honored by the State of California Senate, California Legislature Assembly and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Our troops have flown 11 flags over military bases and on missions in Iraq and Afghanistan in honor of the work we do to support our Nation's Heroes.
The Chief of Volunteer Services at the Oklahoma Hospital VA writes, “The impact of the time you took to providing a smile, good conversation, and most importantly, the recognition to our valuable veterans is not expressible by mere words. Your visit was simply the best visit I have been a part of since my beginning as Voluntary Services Chief.”
A recreational therapist at the Los Angeles VA Hospital writes about our visit, “Overall the Veterans’ quality of life increases and their spirits are so uplifted. I personally can see an improvement in their cognitive, physical, and social functioning. Still to this day, the Vets talk about the day when the lovely ladies came to visit, and they absolutely love their calendars which are hung all over their rooms.”
Gina Elise
Founder
Pin-Ups For Vets
Gina Elise is a Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society graduate of UCLA, and Founder of award-winning nonprofit organization, Pin-Ups For Vets. Formerly a successful Corporate Sales Manager in the hospitality industry, she left her position to dedicate herself full-time to her non-profit organization and her first love. By combining her entrepreneurial skills with her healthcare activism, she created a one-of-a kind organization that has supported the Veteran and Military community for the past 18 years.
Gina Elise has been the featured speaker at the American Legion, VFW, Elks Club, and numerous other Veterans’ events. She is regularly interviewed in the media and has been featured on: ABC, NBC Nightly News, CBS, FOX, PBS, HLN, Inside Edition, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Today Show, AOL News, Returning The Favor with Mike Rowe, American Forces Network, Stars and Stripes, Huffington Post, People.com, Military.com, Hallmark Channel, Boston Herald, Denver Post, The Washington Times, Military Times, among many others.
She has received:
“Woman Of Philanthropy” award/Lakers & Comerica Bank’s Women’s Business Awards (2024)
“Beyond the Call” award from National VFW (2022)
“Community Bridge Builder” award/National Association of Women Business Owners (2013)
“Volunteer of the Year” award/LA Business Journal Women Making a Difference Awards (2009)
“Outstanding Young Californian” award/California Jaycees and Junior Chamber (2007)
Gina Elise was made an Honorary Colonel by American Legion (2015)
Gina Elise was invited to ring closing bell on the NASDAQ (2011)