Wounded Warriors, Veterans, and Military Families

Stock Overview BriefingDraft V.11

-DRAFT PREDECISIONAL POLICY MAKING DOCUMENT-

Koby Langley, Senior Advisor to the CEOWounded Warrior, Veteran and Military Family InitiativesKLangley@cns.gov

Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives - The Why

- Lt. Col. Jason Wing, Warrior Transition Battalion commander.

“It’s incredibly important for our Warriors to connect with their local communities and to feel like a productive part of their communities, and volunteering … helps with both.”

Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives – The Presidential Call

President Obama Remarks – Arlington National Cemetery (2011)

"I ask every American: recruit our veterans …If you're a business owner, hire them. If you're a community

leader, a mayor, a pastor, a preacher, call on them to join your efforts … Organize your community to make a sustained difference in the life of a veteran, because that veteran can make an incredible difference in the

life of your community."

Over the next five years we will increase our investments in emerging and established

programs to address the needs of veterans and military families. Our focus includes programs

that both provide service to veterans and military families, as well as those that engage

them in leading our service initiatives.

Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives - Mission Statement

Strategic Goals Draft Vision Statements

We will increase the number of Veterans and Military Families involved in leading our programs and services

Engage - We will engage Veterans and Military Families in the utilization of their talents in improving the services we perform for our American communities.

We will increase the number and quality of the programs and services that we provide to Veterans and military Families

Expand - We will expand the scope and quality of the services that we fund for the benefit of Veterans and Military Families

Empower - We will empower communities, service organizations, and others to build meaningful and lasting connections to Veterans and Military Families

Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives - Strategic Goals

CNCS Five Year Strategic Plan (2011)

Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives - New Performance Measures

CNCS Five Year Strategic Plan (2011)

• Number of veterans that received CNCS-supported assistance.• Number of family members of active duty military service members that

received CNCS-supported assistance.• Number of veterans' family members that received CNCS-supported

assistance.• Number of active duty military service members that received CNCS-

supported assistance.• Number of veterans engaged in service opportunities as a National Service

Participant or volunteer.• Number of military family members engaged in service opportunities as a

National Service Participant or volunteer.

- Pending Approval -

• Number of Guard and Reservists that received CNCS-supported assistance.• Number of Guard and Reservists engaged in service opportunities as a

National Service Participant or volunteer.

Snapshot – Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives for FY‘12

• Approx. $7M in funds was identified via grantee performance measures database for FY12 programs and initiatives that benefit Veterans and/or Military families

• Twenty AmeriCorps State programs dedicate at least 50% of their grants to Veteran and/or Military family initiatives

• Core focus areas include: Employment/ Economic Opportunity (62% ) Education (15% ) Wellness / Healthy Futures (23%)

Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives – Core Focus Areas (DoD)

“Donations of tangibles can help, but equally important is the intangible of time. Elements of the Sea of Goodwill can volunteer to provide respite childcare to give the spouse a break, or can volunteer to run errands. These are ways, beyond governmental assistance, to assist family members as they provide direct care.”

- Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff “Sea of Goodwill “(2010)

Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives - Aligning our Core Focus Areas

CNCS Five Year Strategic Plan (2011)

“CNCS-supported members, participants and volunteers will engage in or develop proven or promising activities that provide, support and/or facilitate veterans and military service members and their families’ access to:

•Services that improve educational attainment;•Safe, affordable housing; and Other quality-of-life improvements.”•Workforce development resources and services; Employment/Economic Opportunity

Education

Wellness / Healthy Futures

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Veterans and Military Families -Where We Grant (State and National Only)

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Veterans and Military Families -Where Veterans Volunteer

Veterans Volunteer Rate: Between 2008 and 2010, the average national volunteer rate for Veterans was 26.3% per year. During the same timeframe, average Veterans volunteer rates for states ranged from 17.4% to 35.9%. Rankings are based on a three-year moving average.

Veterans and Military Families -Veterans Volunteer Rate Rankings by State 1 Nebraska 35.9 % 2 Utah 35.4 % 3 Minnesota 35.0 % 4 Iowa 34.3 % 4 Virginia 34.3 % 6 South Dakota 34.2 % 7 Kansas 34.0 % 8 Maryland 33.9 % 9 Vermont 33.5 % 10 Alaska 31.7 % 11 Connecticut 31.4 % 12 Wisconsin 30.0 % 13 Washington 29.6 % 14 Idaho 29.5 % 15 Maine 29.4 % 16 Colorado 29.2 % 17 New Mexico 28.9 % 18 Mississippi 28.4 % 19 Tennessee 28.3 % 20 Montana 28.0 %

21 Illinois 27.5 % 22 North Carolina 27.4 % 23 Missouri 27.1 % 24 Georgia 26.7 % 24 Wyoming 26.7 % 26 California 26.6 % 27 Michigan 26.2 % 28 Texas 25.8 % 29 Massachusetts 25.6 % 30 South Carolina 25.5 % 31 New Jersey 25.3 % 31 Oregon 25.3 % 33 New Hampshire 25.1 % 34 Indiana 24.7 % 35 Hawaii 24.4 % 35 Ohio 24.4 % 37 North Dakota 24.3 % 38 Oklahoma 24.1 % 39 Pennsylvania 23.5 % 40 District of Columbia 23.4 %

40 New York 23.4 % 42 Arizona 22.9 % 43 Alabama 22.6 % 44 Delaware 22.4 % 45 Louisiana 22.0 % 45 West Virginia 22.0 % 47 Rhode Island 21.9 % 48 Florida 21.1 % 49 Arkansas 19.5 % 49 Nevada 19.5 % 51 Kentucky 17.4 %

There are approximately78 VISTA Projects and 315 VISTA Members dedicated to assisting Veterans and Military Families

•Core focus areas include: Employment/ Economic Opportunity (65% )* Education (17.5% ) Wellness / Healthy Futures (17.5%)

Snapshot – Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives for FY‘12

Veteran and Military FamilySample of Beneficiary Demographic

The primary beneficiaries of programming are veterans with 24 projects identifying veterans as their primary beneficiary.

Snapshot – Veterans and Military Family Programs and Initiatives for FY‘12

• There are 182 RSVP Projects 4,199 RSVP Volunteers Involved in Veteran and Military family initiatives

• Core focus areas include: Employment / Economic Opportunity (31%) Education (11%) Wellness/Healthy Futures (56%)

Veteran and Military FamilySample of Partnerships

Veteran and Military FamilySample of Existing Partnerships We Support

• American Red Cross National Headquarters• American Red Cross, South Florida Region• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America• Blue Star Families • Give an Hour • Military Officers Association of America• National Chamber Foundation• Operation Homefront• Senior Volunteer Services• Still Serving Veterans• Student Veterans of America• Tennessee’s Community Assistance Corporation• The Mission Continues• Veterans Innovation Center

Veteran and Military FamilyProgram Highlights – Empower Communities

• AmeriCorps VISTA and Habitat for Humanity working in California, completed a 27 home development in 2010 in partnership with veteran and active duty military families.

• Sponsors included JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America Foundation and more than 1,500 local donors. Camp Pendleton’s Base Commander, Chaplain, and troops gave thousands of volunteer hours.

“Volunteering is a way for us to thank our incredibly supportive communities, while also helping our Warriors heal as they realize they still have much to give back.” - Lt. Col. Jason Wing, Warrior Transition Battalion Cdr.

Veteran and Military FamilyProgram Highlights – Employ Talents

"RSVP has kept me active and engaged, providing me a way to give back to my community." - Vern Truemper, 89, WWII Army Air Corps Veteran and lead volunteer in the Clinton, MO Tax Assistance Program .

• Established in 1971 and now one of the largest senior volunteer organizations, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) engages more than 400,000 people nationwide.

• The Income Tax Assistance Program provides tax assistance for low income individuals through the Senior Corps program of Clinton, MO.

Veteran and Military FamilyProgram Highlights – Expand Needed Service

• To help us address the needs of our unemployed and underemployed veterans, we applied for and won a State AmeriCorps grant.

• Each year, 500 veterans will receive employability instruction and guidance in individual or group settings that are facilitated by AmeriCorps members.

“With just a minimal investment, we can expand and advertise our program to help more veterans reenter the workforce and start to pay taxes again, rather than relying on government services.” – AMVETS Ohio Executive Director Testimony (2011)

Veterans and Military Families -Where We Go From Here – More Serving

“My experience as a volunteer in the AmeriCorps program has given me the will to get out of bed every day.  If you don’t have a purpose in life, it’s hard to get out of bed every morning.”

- National Service Inclusion Project Interviewee (2010)

• Veterans feel a sense of belonging and regain their identity through service and volunteerism.

• AmeriCorps gives veterans and soldiers the opportunity to get back into the workforce and develop new skill sets.

• Service and volunteerism is a satisfying and structured opportunity to serve our country in another way.

• Veterans find that helping others is a way to help themselves.

Veterans and Military Families -Where We Go From Here – More Served

“My experience as a volunteer in the AmeriCorps program has given me the will to get out of bed every day.  If you don’t have a purpose in life, it’s hard to get out of bed every morning.”

- National Service Inclusion Project Interviewee (2010)

• Developing “vet-to-vet” and “mission oriented” models

• More career and skill counselors

• More senior mentorship for “Life skills”

• More “peer-to-peer” counseling (VetSuccess) models

• Improved access to healthcare

• Financial literacy programs

• Leverage existing non-profits in the space to capacity build

• LegalAid (VetCourts)

Veterans and Military Families -Core Messages for Senior Leaders and Board

•CNCS empowered National Service and Volunteerism is a pathway to full-time employment.

•CNCS empowers our Veteran Military Family organizations to continue their good work in serving communities on the home front.

•CNCS can leverage it’s unique status to solicit, accept and execute gifts as a foundation for charitable works targeting Veterans and military families in National Service

• CNCS values federal partnerships and is looking for innovative ways to improve our collaborations that benefits Veterans and military families

Veterans and Military Families -How You Can Help

“Volunteering is a way for us to thank our incredibly supportive communities, while also helping our Warriors heal as they realize

they still have much to give back.”

Lt. Col. Jason Wing, Warrior Transition Battalion commander.