Business and Professional Women’s Foundation Receives $100,000 to Assist Women Veterans Move to Civilian Careers Call of Duty Endowment Presents Check before Miami Dolphins Game
“We are very grateful to receive this generous grant from C.O.D.E., which will enable BPW Foundation to launch its Joining Forces for Women Veteran’s and Military Spouses Mentoring Project (JFWV) , and connect thousands of women veterans and military wives with successful employment opportunities,” Frett said. “The grant from the Endowment will specifically be used to develop a minimum of 1,000 mentoring relationships for women veterans and military spouses across the country and in anticipation of a national roll out create pilot programs in
The check was presented to BPW Foundation by Greg Zinone, President and Founder of “Pros vs. GI Joes” as part of the organization’s Purpose Driven Rehab Fall Tour – a military support initiative in which wounded veterans manage events at some of the biggest sporting venues across the country.
Also in attendance at the check presentation was veteran and former Air Force service member Dawn Smith. Smith, who is participating in the BPW Foundation JFWV Mentoring Program , served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years working as an Air Terminal Operations Manager, Passenger Service Supervisor and Team Leader in Air Transportation. Through the mentoring program she is getting coaching and support as she explores a career in the federal government and learns how to grow the tea company, www.MysticRemeTeas.com she started. She found BPW Foundation’s mentoring campaign through a pilot program with the USO, Hire Heroes USA and the US Chamber of Commerce. BPW Foundation has partnerships with these organizations through their support of the JFWV Mentoring Program.
“I am very fortunate to have connected with BPW Foundation’s mentoring program which is uniquely qualified to help me as I determine the correct career path for me. Despite the skills I gained in the military and my advanced education degrees, I appreciate the continual help in learning how to successfully navigate through the federal process and the added confidence with developing and implementing a business plan for my tea company,” Smith said. “The JFWV Mentoring Program is perfect because it is woman to woman.”
BPW Foundation identified mentoring as a key need during its Inaugural Joining Forces for Women Veterans National Summit held in October, 2010. The Office of the First Lady and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have also recognized this “mentorship gap” in their selection of BPW as point organization for a large-scale mentoring initiative to benefit women veterans and military wives.
The JFWV Mentoring Program will enable women mentors to tap their own experiences to help women veterans successfully enter the civilian workforce by positioning their military expertise and skills for long-term career stability and success. The program will also help make connections for military spouses who often cannot find jobs that match their skills and education because of the hardships of military life including many moves and living in areas dominated by a military base.
About Business and Professional Women’s Foundation:
Business and Professional Women’s Foundation, the first foundation to focus its resources on working women, is Joining Forces for Women Veterans across the country to provide support and resources to women veterans and their families as they return to their civilian lives, including providing mentoring to 10,000 women vets and military spouses by the end of 2012. For more information please visit www.bpwfoundation.org.
About the Call of Duty Endowment:
The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit, public benefit corporation created by Activision Blizzard. The organization seeks to help soldiers that provide job placement and training. For more information about the Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org.
About Pro vs. GI Joe:
Pro vs. GI Joe is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, changing the way our troops stay connected. Pro vs. GI Joe provides
