Salute the Armed Forces Recruits Public to Help in GoFundMe Campaign for Veteran University
Burr Ridge, Illinois (PRWEB) December 22, 2015 -- Every day, Burr Ridge resident Ed LeTourneau hears about the challenges returning veterans have in finding work that would lead to successful careers.
“There is usually only a 12-month window for vets to make a successful transition into civilian life,” he says. “If it doesn’t happen within this window, chances are greatly reduced for it to happen.”
Because his medical conditions and age prevented him from enlisting, LeTourneau desired to leave a legacy continuously helping veterans make a smooth transition from military to civilian life. That idea came alive in 2007 with the creation of the Burr Ridge-based nonprofit Salute the Armed Forces. One of the nonprofit’s programs is Veteran University, a Waukegan, Illinois-based training facility which opened in 2014. Its curriculum, which focuses on building and construction trades, takes veteran students from the classroom to work site job readiness in a matter of weeks using state-of-the-art training techniques and facilities.
Because the university program is not currently eligible for Veterans Affairs (VA) assistance, LeTourneau relies on private corporate sponsors and donations. Therefore, he is asking the public to donate on the Veteran University’s GoFundMe website: https://www.gofundme.com/salutetarmedforces . The donations will go toward staffing, specialized equipment and building operations and the goal is to raise an initial $10,000.
“The goal of VU is for vets to have a career, not just a job,” LeTourneau says. “Veterans need that one little step, one little piece of encouragement to get them going and they’re off to the races.”
By donating, the public can personally help veterans with the tools and knowledge provided by the university to find the right career.
“Our veterans deserve the opportunity to become productive citizens and valued community members and to support their families well” LeTourneau says. “There will be over two million veterans in the next few years. We want to be there for each and every veteran if they need us."
For more information, visit Salute the Armed Forces at http://www.salutethearmedforces.org
About Salute the Armed Forces
Salute the Armed Forces (STAF) began in 2007 as a grass roots organization of “veterans helping veterans.” STAF is a registered 501 ©3 nonprofit committed to serving America’s veterans. The organization’s staff is composed of very dedicated and qualified volunteers and relies on the generosity of individuals; organizations and corporations to sponsor our many innovative veterans support programs. For more information, visit http://www.salutethearmedforces.org.
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Jackie Camacho-Ruiz, JJR Marketing, http://jjrmarketing.com, +1 630-441-6057, [email protected]
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