LAS VEGAS – Goodwill of Southern Nevada (Goodwill®) has received a philanthropic gift of $216,500 from USAA in support of its Veteran Integration Program (VIP). This funding will allow Goodwill to expand their services for military members and their spouses.
November 11th is Veterans Day, and Goodwill of Southern Nevada highlights this opportunity by celebrating nine years of helping veterans and their families transition from military to civilian life, find employment, advance in their careers, and ensure long-term financial stability for their families.
Rick Neal, President and CEO of Goodwill of Southern Nevada, and a veteran himself, says it’s personal to him. “Veterans and their families sacrifice in service to our nation and to protect our freedom. They place themselves in harm’s way. They spend months apart from loved ones. They put careers on hold to serve others. Some of them face barriers to employment when they transition out of the armed services or, in the case of military spouses, as they travel in support of the veteran. Often these barriers parallel those of civilians. However, challenges such as translating military skill sets into civilian terms and navigating unfamiliar systems to gain access to and knowledge about career assistance and opportunities available, are somewhat unique to veterans.” Neal continued, “We are so grateful for this investment and the continued support from USAA.”
Additionally, military spouses and immediate family members face challenges of their own as they support their veteran. Military service places unique demands on military families, often requiring them to move more frequently than those not connected to the military. While those moves can provide great adventure and opportunities for the families, it can also create challenges for family members seeking employment, as their work histories are non-standard at best, and non-existent at worst. That is why Goodwill started the Veteran Integration Program in 2012. Since the beginning of the program, they have served 5,555 transitioning military members and spouses, and have placed 1,472 of them into employment.
The VIP program has been providing veterans and their immediate family members year-round access to a variety of free career development services including networking opportunities, job readiness workshops, resume assistance to translate military experience into relevant civilian skills, occupational skills training and certifications, job leads, motivational support, and wrap-around supportive services such as transportation assistance, work ID cards, industry-specific tools, and other forms of assistance needed to find and keep a good job.
For more information on Goodwill mission and career services, visit GoodwillVegas.org/programs
