Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation
Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation falls under the Environmental Education category: Organizations such as nature centers that provide informal classes which acquaint participants with particular aspects of their environment and increase their understanding of and appreciation for ecological balance.
The purpose of JMMF Ocean Therapy is to increase perceived self-efficacy in individuals with physical and developmental disabilities through engagement in physical activity in the ocean, specifically, the activity of surfing.
The Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation (JMMF), is a non-profit organization providing healing programs for a number of communities in Los Angeles and San Diego counties. In the past 15 years, JMMF has worked with Youth and Veterans from a variety of backgrounds. The At-risk and abused youth that we serve are part of the Los Angeles foster care system and suffer mental illnesses born from anxiety and witnessing violence in domestic scenarios. The Veterans and active duty US Marines that we server are part of the Wounded Warrior Battalion and Los Angeles-based Veterans and suffer from mental or physical illness as a result of trauma and combat - mainly PTSD and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries); and last, we work with the Veterans Village of San Diego with former active military in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse prompted by their experiences.
The program has proven successful by not only the change in perspective by the participants but with the verbal confirmation received from the feedback in the talking circle as well as the direct communication to the JMMF Clinical Therapists and Instructors. Statements like “this program saved my life” from a Marine that admitted was contemplating suicide that same day.