Cindy Emerson’s Post

Calling All Senior Veterans! 💙 Discover practical tips and heartfelt advice to strengthen and maintain meaningful relationships in your golden years. From reconnecting with old friends to building new bonds, we've got you covered. 📝 Dive into our latest blog now and embark on a journey of connection and camaraderie. 👉 Read More Here: https://lnkd.in/gGrB-M4u

VetREC's motto is *research with, not on, Veterans." 🤝 Through a community-engaged and culturally attuned approach to designing, implementing, and translating research, VetREC helps those who help Veterans. VetREC can help you measure your impact, track your growth, and tell the story of how your organization changes Veterans’ lives. VetREC partners with: 1️⃣ organizations offering direct services to Veterans and affiliated communities (i.e., nonprofit Veteran Service Organizations) and, 2️⃣ institutions engaging in research with Veterans (i.e., colleges and universities) VetREC offers services in the categories of impact assessment, needs assessments, funding support, and Veteran research readiness. Learn more and reach out to explore some awesome work together: https://vetrec.us/ #VeteranOwned #WomanVeteranOwned #Veterans #Veteransupport #VeteranServiceOrganizations #VeteranCommunity #VeteranshelpingVeterans #SmallBusiness

Feeling grateful for the amazing community we've built. Have you ever felt like you belonged somewhere? Read our latest blog post to discover how community can heal and support. Read the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/gnKUvtSb #parentalalienation #stopparentalalienation #parentalalienationisacrime

It was blue skies, sunshine, aromatic coffee and lively conversations at our inaugural fortnightly Soldier On Sips session for Newcastle Veterans this morning. 🌞 A big thank you to Dean Mainey Programs and Engagement Officer with Soldier On Australia who helped to create this social connections event for our Newcastle based veteran community. Hosted at our Newcastle office, as part of Aurecon's ongoing commitment as a Pledge Partner with Soldier On Australia, we understand the importance of social connectedness in maintaining your identity, receiving support, and improving your quality of life after your service. The power of social connection cannot be understated - what can it offer you: Sense of Belonging: Maintain the strong sense of camaraderie and trust experienced during your service, even as you transition to civilian life. Wellbeing: Social connectedness plays a vital role in your overall wellbeing, determining how often you interact with others, the support you feel, and your community participation. Mental Health: Benefit from strong social networks protecting against mental health issues such as depression and loneliness, which may be more prevalent among veterans. Reintegration: Find a new sense of community and successfully reintegrate into civilian life, preserving the camaraderie and identity formed in the military. Protection Against Isolation: Active membership in veteran-specific organisations like Soldier On Australia and connection with military peers can shield you from social isolation and improve your overall health outcomes. Support During Crisis: Build a strong social network that provides support during challenging times, particularly relevant for veterans facing unique post-service challenges. 📢 Shout out to Newcastle veterans to join us at our recurring fortnightly event, Soldier On Sips. It's an opportunity for you to connect with fellow veterans, enjoy lively conversations, bask in the sunshine and sip on some aromatic coffee. If you or someone you know would like to join our fortnightly Soldier On Sips sessions, we'd like to encourage you to register using the following link: 👉 https://lnkd.in/ggaJksK7 We look forward to welcoming you at our next Soldier On Sips session scheduled for Thursday, 6 June @ 10am and providing an inclusive space for engaging conversations and camaraderie. #strongertogether #veteranconnections #whatdoesittake #veterancommunity #soldieronsips #coffeeandcomradery #pledgepartner

An important new report from RAND was published yesterday, and if you care about the veteran employment ecosystem I encourage you to find the time to read the whole document. It's a lot to digest, but one line really stood out to me: "Taken together, the findings in the research discussed above indicate that it is too early to simply declare “mission accomplished” on veteran employment." I couldn't agree more. There has been some trends over the last year to declare that, because the overall veteran unemployment figure is low, that it's time to divert resources and support to other areas. That is fundamentally flawed logic. Black and Hispanic veterans experience much higher unemployment, and lower earnings even when disaggregated by rank and role type. Veterans with high disability ratings have drastically lower labor force participation rates. And veteran underemployment is around 60%. Not to mention the military spouse unemployment crisis that hasn't been solved. The need for systems level collaboration for veterans employment is palpable. Even more so, it's time to implement policy changes to improve Transition Assistance Programs by leveraging and resourcing the best in class services and organizations. That is a promising approach towards a sustainable solution. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/e_7H657A

Nonprofit organizations supporting veteran employment are indispensable to a smooth military-to-civilian transition—yet they face mounting challenges in sustainability and funding. The RAND report, shared by Ross Dickman from Hire Heroes USA underscores that while veterans often fare well in the job market, those from minority backgrounds or younger veterans continue to face unique barriers. Nonprofits step in to bridge this gap, providing targeted support, yet they often lack consistent funding and standardized metrics to measure long-term impact. Key insights: Veterans’ employment nonprofits thrive through public-private partnerships. However, they need transparent, strategic support, and standard metrics from federal and philanthropic partners to ensure effectiveness and sustainability. To build a resilient support system for our veterans, we must align funding with performance and lean into diverse partnership models. As this report highlights, strategic adjustments today can position these nonprofits for long-term impact tomorrow. Operation Stand Down Tennessee Chris Lancia Eden Murrie James McIntyre Kim Powell D'Angelo S. Taylor, Ed.D. Belmont University - Jack C. Massey College of Business Tennessee Department of Veterans Services Sean Kelley (he / him)

The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State has been awarded a $100,000 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘇 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. This grant will support the evaluation of four national nonprofit programs dedicated to improving veteran employment outcomes: Hiring Our Heroes, Hire Heroes USA, VetJobs, and Onward to Opportunity. 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: $100,000 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁: The Clearinghouse received a substantial grant to support the evaluation of these veteran-employment programs. 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀: Key goals include data mapping and analysis, components analysis, data transfer, and developing a research and dissemination plan. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: The third phase will compare the effectiveness of individual programs and their combined impact, providing insights into what drives successful employment outcomes for veterans. Together, they are making strides towards a brighter future for our veterans, ensuring they have the tools and opportunities needed for fulfilling post-service careers. #VeteranEmployment #VeteranSupport #Research #DataAnalysis #Clearinghouse #PennState #TheHeinzEndowments https://lnkd.in/dHatEFsb

🤝 Veterans are paving the way for future generations, fostering a legacy of resilience and support. Discover how shared experiences are bridging the gap between generations and building a stronger community. Read more here..⬇️ #WarriorsFund #VeteranSupport #BuildingALegacy #CommunityStrength #VeteransHelpingVeterans #LegacyOfSupport