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Founded in 2018 by Jo Terry, the Chip Terry Fund carries forward the work of a man who spent his life running toward the people who needed him most.
Chip Terry was a father, husband, son, brother, coach, and firefighter who proudly served the City of Covington for nearly 30 years. Like many first responders, Chip silently carried the weight of repeated trauma experienced throughout his career. Unknown to many around him, he struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for years before losing his battle on September 15, 2017.
Chip’s death left behind a grieving wife of 31 years, six children, grandchildren, friends, coworkers, and a community that loved him deeply. In the midst of that loss, the Terry family made a commitment to turn tragedy into purpose. The Chip Terry Fund was created to help first responders and their families find support, healing, and hope before they reach a crisis point. Today, the organization continues Chip’s legacy by working to ensure that no first responder has to fight these battles alone.
"The people who run toward our worst days deserve someone running toward theirs."
The Chip Terry Fund for First Responders supports first responders and their families through education, access and financial support for treatment, and wellness-focused programs. We provide trauma-informed workshops and presentations that help departments, partners, and families better understand the effects of PTSD, occupational stress, and cumulative trauma.
The fund also helps first responders access specialized care, including Stellate Ganglion Block treatments through trusted medical providers, outpatient and inpatient therapy referrals, couples and family counseling, and other supportive services. In partnership with organizations across the country, we also sponsor resiliency and healing retreats designed to strengthen relationships, build peer connection, and support long-term recovery.
By removing financial barriers and helping first responders navigate available resources, the Chip Terry Fund works to provide meaningful support when it is needed most.
In 2025, the organization financially supported 150 first responders through therapy referrals, Stellate Ganglion Block treatments, resiliency retreats, and additional supportive services totaling more than 554 treatments and recovery experiences. Our current projections for 2026 indicate the fund will financially support over 280 first responders with these same life changing services.
The organization also provided 51 trauma-focused workshops and peer support sessions in 2025, reaching audiences ranging from small departments to groups of more than 500 participants. Through these programs, first responders and their families are gaining greater awareness of PTSD, learning how to access care earlier, and finding community with others who understand the unique challenges of the profession.
Every presentation, treatment, retreat, and conversation reflects the mission that drives the Chip Terry Fund forward: Healing is Possible.
Getting a first responder to the right care often means connecting them to people we trust. The organizations below work alongside the Chip Terry Fund to deliver treatment, training, and support, and we’re proud to stand with them.
Providing Stellate Ganglion Blocks through Dr. Justin Kruer
The Save A Warrior® program is an intensive, evidence-based healing program designed for veterans, active duty military, and first responders struggling with the effects of trauma, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts. Their multi-day immersive program focuses on helping individuals heal through peer connection, personal reflection, accountability, and holistic wellness practices.
The Chip Terry Fund has developed a collaborative partnership with Save A Warrior to help identify first responders who may benefit from this intensive program.
Through a screening and vetting process, we work closely with individuals to determine whether the program may be an appropriate fit for their healing journey. In select situations, the Chip Terry Fund may sponsor first responders to attend the program when financial barriers would otherwise prevent access.
For many participants, Save A Warrior becomes a turning point in their recovery by helping them reconnect with purpose, community, and hope for the future
Project Sanctuary is a nationally recognized organization that provides therapeutic retreats and ongoing support services for military, veteran, and first responder families. Their programs are designed to strengthen communication, rebuild relationships, and help families heal together after the effects of trauma and occupational stress.
Project Sanctuary retreats combine counseling, educational workshops, peer connection, and recreational activities in a supportive environment where families can reconnect and grow stronger together. Their approach is centered around the belief that when one person serves, the entire family serves as well.
The Chip Terry Fund has developed a collaborative partnership with Project Sanctuary to help identify first responders and families who may benefit from these retreats. We work closely with individuals to determine whether the program is an appropriate fit and, in select cases, may sponsor participation for those facing financial barriers.
For many families, these retreats provide an opportunity to step away from daily stress, strengthen relationships, improve communication, and continue the healing process together.
The First Responders’ Bridge retreat is a wellness-focused program created specifically for first responders and their partners. The retreat brings together mental health professionals, peer support leaders, chaplains, and first responder families to provide education, connection, and practical tools for healing from trauma and occupational stress.
Jo Terry speaks at these retreats each quarter, sharing Chip’s story and teaching on trauma, PTSD, and the impact first responder stress can have on individuals and families. Her presentations help first responders and partners better understand the physiological and emotional effects of repeated trauma exposure while encouraging open conversation and early intervention.
The Chip Terry Fund works closely with First Responders’ Bridge and sends as many first responder couples to these retreats as possible. Through this collaborative partnership, we help connect couples to resources, peer support, and a community that understands the unique challenges of first responder life.
For many couples, the retreat provides an opportunity to step away from daily stress, strengthen communication, rebuild connection, and begin healing together.
The eTMS Ohio Program provides advanced, non-invasive brain treatment for veterans, first responders, and law enforcement officers struggling with PTSD, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, traumatic brain injuries, and other effects of repeated trauma exposure.
eTMS uses brain mapping technology called a qEEG along with personalized Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to help improve communication within the brain and calm an overactive nervous system. Treatments are drug-free, non-invasive, and customized to each individual based on their brain activity.
The Chip Terry Fund works collaboratively with eTMS Ohio and helps connect first responders who may benefit from this treatment option. We assist in identifying individuals who may be good candidates for the program and help guide them through the process of seeking care.
For many first responders, eTMS has helped improve sleep, reduce anxiety and PTSD symptoms, and improve overall quality of life.