Latest news with #VeteranCareerTransition
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Call of Duty supports Still Serving Veterans with a significant annual grant
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — A surprising partnership between a popular video game and local non-profit Still Serving Veterans has helped the organization provide several services for over a decade. 'It just takes 1 or 2 people to believe in you,' Ethan Fitzgerald, marketing director at Still Serving Veterans, said. 'And how cool is it that the video game Call of Duty, you know, is supporting a humble nonprofit in Huntsville, Alabama, which is also very synonymous with supporting veterans.' Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q brings home 13th first place title after Memphis in May competition The Call of Duty Endowment, or CODE, provides grants to organizations helping veterans find high-quality jobs, and SSV is one of only 8 U.S. non-profits that receive a grant. Still Serving Veterans gets $1 million from CODE annually that goes directly to its Veteran Career Transition program. 'That Call of Duty money is just a lifesaver,' Fitzgerald said. 'It's quite literally changed the lives of veterans every single year.' SSV's Veteran Career Transition program helps vets with all things job search: from resume building and interview preparation to salary negotiations and check-ins months into the new role. The non-profit said there has been significant success. 'That funding allows us to hire veterans to help veterans,' Fitzgerald said. 'If you think about counseling appointments and stuff like that, there's usually a charge for that. You know, we're basically, you know, taking that off the table for the veteran. They don't have to pay for anything.' Marshall County Schools breaks ground on multi-million-dollar elementary school CODE's website announces achievements from more than 150,000 veteran job placements to date, with a 90% retention rate within the first six months of a veteran starting a new job. While SSV is very grateful for the funding dedicated to its Veteran Career Transition Program, the non-profit notes some of its other programs that are in need of such financial support: its VA Benefits and Resource programs. 'Unfortunately, the endowment doesn't cover that,' Fitzgerald said. 'So we always are raising money to try to support those other two programs, looking for grants, looking for sponsors and and the people who donate 5 to $10 a month. Those grassroots donors that keep our other programs alive are super important.' For more information on how to donate, visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Give Back: Still Serving Veterans changing lives, one resumé at a time
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — A core service at Still Serving Veterans is offering help with something many folks find stressful: finding a job. Dave Lakin changes the lives of veterans at SSV daily, one paper, highlighter, and pen at a time. The Give Back: Still Serving Veterans guiding vets in job search process 'Everything starts with a resume from a job search perspective,' Dave Lakin, the Veteran Career Transition Director at Still Serving Veterans, said. 'Do they use good format? Do they use the right fonts? Do they use the right language?' While looking for a job is stressful for many, veterans face unique hurdles along the way. 'Helping to translate all the things they did in uniform onto a resume can be very difficult,' Lakin said. SSV covers nearly every base when it comes to the job search process. The non-profit starts by consulting with a veteran to find a job that interests them and fits their skillset. From there, it will help with everything from resumé building, interview preparation, to even check-ins months into the veteran starting in the new role. 'How can we improve your presentation in an interview? Lakin said. 'How can we improve your resumé? And then once you do start getting offers, come back here and we'll help you to examine those offers and get through salary negotiation.' With the world changing as Artificial Intelligence emerges, Lakin said it's more important now than ever to consult with a professional when searching for a job. 'About 60% of the applicant tracking systems out there will reject a resume just because it takes 2 or 3 things to make it difficult for the software to read, for the software to move on to the next applicant,' Lakin said. The veteran-to-veteran relationships at SSV establish a level of trust that is nearly impossible to duplicate. That is one of the reasons the organization does not work with volunteers often. But, Lakin said, donations from the community are life-changing. 'Some people don't realize how much they $5 monthly donation allows us,' Lakin said. 'To go out there, get our message out there, put our counselors out there, let them go meet veterans more. I'm not even kidding, $5 a month.' To learn how you can donate and help SSV's mission, visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
