Chicago. 15 November 2020. In observance of Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, Boeing announced a $14.2 million charitable grants package supporting 97 veterans organizations worldwide. Investments will fund veterans workforce transition services and recovery and rehabilitation programs through 2021 and beyond.
“During this challenging time, Boeing is proud to partner with leading veterans organizations to provide our global veteran communities and their families with essential workforce transition support, and recovery and rehabilitation programs that address mental health,” said Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun.
Today’s announcement builds on Boeing’s commitment to combat racism and advance racial equity and social justice across our society. The package includes a previously announced $1 million investment in The Mission Continues and a new $500,000 investment in U.S.VETS. Organizations receiving funding will direct Boeing dollars to programs that increase the number of underserved and minority veterans receiving support.
In addition to the investments package, Boeing also announced a $4.5 million partnership with the Institute for Veterans & Military Families (IVMF) to establish Future Force, a workforce training, recruitment and placement program for veterans. The signature program will offer certification and training courses focused on the aerospace and defense industry, complemented by networking and employment opportunities for qualified transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses.
“Boeing has a strong and storied history of supporting veterans during and after their time of service,” said Boeing’s Director of Veterans Outreach Jason Pak. “Through our new, industry-leading workforce training program, we will help thousands of veterans and military spouses transition into better jobs, which in turn creates better opportunities for them, their families, Boeing and the entire aerospace industry.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Boeing to establish the first aerospace-focused learning track as part of the IVMF’s Onward to Opportunity program,” said Dr. Mike Haynie, vice chancellor of Syracuse University and executive director of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families. “This new curriculum and training will allow us to broaden our reach to the military and veteran community as they continue to seek career opportunities.”
The latest investment builds on Boeing’s long-standing commitment to veterans and their families. Since 2017, Boeing has donated $41.6 million in support of veterans programs globally.
Organizations receiving grant funding in the United States include:
Boulder Crest Foundation: A leader in post-traumatic growth (PTG), Boulder Crest Foundation works to ensure that combat veterans, first responders and their families live fulfilling lives after experiencing trauma. With Boeing’s support, Boulder Crest will train over 100 Arizona and Virginia-based mental health professionals specializing in PTG and develop an online PTG certification and training program for hundreds of veteran family members.
Cohen Veterans Network: Boeing investments will fund access to high-quality, effective mental health care services to hundreds of post-9/11 veterans and military families in Seattle, Philadelphia and the Potomac region. Through its national clinic network, the Cohen Veterans Network is focused on helping veterans and military families live happier, healthier lives.
Headstrong: Operating in partnership with Weill Cornell Medicine and the nation’s leading trauma clinicians, Boeing funding will help to deliver cost-free, bureaucracy-free, stigma-free and confidential mental health care to nearly 100 new veterans and establish over 30 new clinical partners in Southern California, Washington, Colorado and the Potomac region.
Vets4Warriors: Boeing funding will support Vets4Warriors’ one-of-a-kind national 24/7 live and confidential peer support network staffed by veterans and housed at the Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care National Call Center in New Jersey. It also will help ensure over 5,000 veterans, service members, their families and caregivers have direct and immediate access to a trained peer who understands their life experiences and the challenges they face.
Organizations receiving funding in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom include:
Soldier On: In Australia, Boeing dollars will support social connections activities and continue to fund the Boeing Veterans & Family Engagement Program, which has enabled a team of psychologists to perform over 1,000 mental health interventions for service members and their families since 2018. Boeing dollars will also support the Pathways program, which has helped more than 150 veterans receive job placements since 2018.
SSAFA the Armed Forces charity: In the United Kingdom, Boeing funding provides support for SSAFA’s mentoring program, which aims to help service personnel as they leave the armed forces and transition into civilian life. In addition, Boeing funding provides support for the Boeing Crisis Fund, a specialty program that helps families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Boeing’s previous support of the program helped 100 veteran families in 2019.
Veterans Transition Network: In Canada, Boeing partners with the Veterans Transition Network in both the Vancouver and Ottawa communities, working to strengthen the network of mental health providers serving veterans. Boeing funding also helps provide in-home mental health, career counseling and peer support programs for veterans and transitioning service members.
