ACG National Capital
On September 11, 2017, ACG National Capital will host their annual golf event which, for the first time ever, will raise money for the Easter Seals Veteran Staffing Network (VSN), a non-profit organization that provides comprehensive employment services for veterans, wounded warriors, and their families across the National Capital Region and around the country. Chairman of the ACG Annual Golf Tournament and Senior Advisor of Cresa, Justin Lange is a former Navy combat veteran and active member of the veteran community.
Lange told us in a recent interview, “I felt it was important to select a worthy, non-profit beneficiary that supports those who risk their lives for our freedom, and the Easter Seals Veterans Staffing Network does just that.”
VSN was developed with the understanding that “hiring a hero” is more difficult than it sounds, since veterans can face many challenges when transitioning from military to civilian life – from writing a resume for the first time to dealing with PTSD or other severe disabilities that may impact their employment. In fact, the unemployment rate for recently separated veterans is higher than 50%. VSN was founded to address this need.
Marta Wilson, Chair of Easter Seals Serving DC|MD|VA, said, “Veterans may have capabilities to do quite well but their resume doesn’t necessarily reflect that. VSN looks as the veteran as a whole when placing them into a position and matches them to roles that best align with their strongest skills. VSN also offers other services to veterans and their families like individual career development planning, resume writing, interview skills assistance, assistance conducting job searches, and referrals to other veterans services. It’s really one of the first sustainable solutions to address veteran’s unemployment.”
In addition to working as a staffing agency to provide temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire placements, “VSN also places veterans around the country and from all branches of the military, including the National Guard, Army Reserve, and even family members of veterans,” Wilson added.
VSN maintains a robust curriculum of over 60 courses and nearly 200 learning objectives that cover the entire spectrum of job search at no cost to the job seeker. Historically programs like this have been funded by government grants or philanthropic organizations, neither of which is a sustainable funding stream. VSN solved this by offering a full service placement firm model with every penny invested in VSN paying for vets to receive social services and career coaching.
By focusing on the individual needs of employers and veterans, VSN matches veterans to the best possible position that will support them in successfully transitioning back to the civilian world. To date, VSN has secured over 1,200 job placements, and last year received a $1 million grant from Capital One that has expanded services to thousands of veterans and their families.
There is no doubt the organization is poised to continue helping veterans have long-term success. Events such as the ACG Golf Tournament can help ensure they have the resources necessary to do so. Wilson concluded, “Our veterans are talented men and women that have sacrificed so much for this country. By providing job opportunities and investing in their success, employers around the country have a great deal to gain.”
You can register for the ACG Golf Tournament here.