Got Your 6 Makes Strides For Veteran Reintegration
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) December 22, 2014 -- Got Your 6, the national campaign comprising the country’s top-tier veteran nonprofits, announced today the achievement of six major milestones in veteran reintegration. The six pillars of Got Your 6–jobs, education, health, housing, family, and leadership– were developed through the Clinton Global Initiative in 2012 as tangible and measurable goals to demonstrate the importance of embracing veterans as leaders and civic assets in our communities.
“We started the Got Your 6 campaign with six major pledges to challenge our partners and ensure that veterans were reintegrating as leaders,” said Chris Marvin, managing director of Got Your 6. “The fact that we exceeded each pledge prior to the deadline is a testament to the power of collaboration and the growth of the veteran empowerment movement. We’re incredibly proud, but there is still more work to be done to ensure all Americans see veterans as indispensable assets that make our nation stronger.”
Launched in May 2012, Got Your 6 is dedicated to changing the narrative around veterans and military families by highlighting the service and impact of veterans in their communities across the country. By uniting the reach and resources of the entertainment industry with the top veteran nonprofits, Got Your 6 is organizing the new wave of veteran empowerment initiatives across the country.
The Got Your 6 pillar commitments and results include:
Continuing the Mission of Service – 5 million hours
In 2012, The Mission Continues and its partners accepted the challenge to engage veterans and military family members in at least 5 million hours of volunteer service in communities nationwide by the end of 2014. As of December 2014, 6,867,634 hours of service have been completed. Those hours mean more veterans found a new purpose at home by not only finding the strength within themselves, but by serving others through community service and volunteering. This type of continued service gives veterans the direction they need to take on a new job, pursue an education, or build their community.
Hiring Our Heroes – 500,000 jobs
The Got Your 6 lead partner for the Jobs pillar, Hiring Our Heroes, engaged the business community in a campaign to hire more than 500,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014. As of December 2014, 585,000 commitments have been recorded. Those commitments will translate into an increase of employment opportunities for veterans to showcase their leadership and problem-solving skills within communities across the country.
Ending Veteran Homelessness – 20,000 homes
The 100,000 Homes Campaign and its partners, including the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, led an effort to house over 20,000 chronically homeless veterans by December 2014. As the lead partner of Got Your 6’s Housing pillar, the 100,000 Homes Campaign well exceeded their goal with 31,171 veterans housed as of December 2014.
Transitioning through Education – 2,000 campuses
The Got Your 6 lead partners for the Education pillar, Student Veterans of America and the Pat Tillman Foundation, analyzed the programs and services that lead to positive academic outcomes for student veterans in order to produce and distribute an action-oriented toolkit to more than 2,000 colleges and universities that are implementing the VA’s Principles of Excellence. As of December 2014, 2,041 toolkits have been distributed.
De-mystifying Mental Health – 100,000 students
Give an Hour and its partners led the Got Your 6 Health pillar with a goal to educate 100,000 graduate students and professionals in mental health disciplines on the unique issues of veterans and military families. As of December 2014, 123,000 students and professionals have been trained to address the mental health needs of our returning troops who might otherwise fail to seek appropriate care.
Strengthening Military Families – 300,000 families
Blue Star Families and the Military Child Education Coalition, the lead partners for the Got Your 6 Family pillar, set out to provide reintegration tools and training to 300,000 military families and 100,000 primary and secondary school educators by the end of 2014. Wrapping up 2014, 325,824 toolkits were distributed and 113,390 teachers have been trained.
"Veterans across the country are reporting for duty in their communities. As a leader at an organization that empowers veterans, I’m proud to see the impact and positive change that the nonprofit partners of Got Your 6 have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time,” said Spencer Kympton, President of The Mission Continues. “While we’ve seen huge strides for veteran empowerment, we're not done yet, and this generation's journey of service is far from complete. We're motivated and eager to have an even bigger collective impact in 2015."
About Got Your 6
Got Your 6 is a campaign that unites nonprofit, Hollywood, and government partners. Got Your 6 believes that veterans are leaders, team builders, and problem solvers who have the unique potential to strengthen communities across the country. As a coalition, Got Your 6 works to integrate these perspectives into popular culture, engage veterans and civilians together to foster understanding, and empower veterans to lead in their communities. Since 2013, Got Your 6 has distributed grants totaling more than $4 million to a dozen veteran-focused non-profit partners, through support from organizations such as Wells Fargo and Macy's. For more information, visit http://www.gotyour6.org. Be the Change, Inc., an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, is the organizing body and fiscal sponsor of Got Your 6.\
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Megan Haverland, Beck Media & Marketing, 310-300-4800, [email protected]
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