VENICE, FL – The VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 8118, located in Venice, recently made a donation of $2,500 to Goodwill Manasota’s Veterans Services Program. The funds were raised through a golf tournament held at Lake Venice Country Club in the spring.
VFW Post 8118 focuses its efforts on disabled veterans and funding for emergency needs, such as assistance with monthly bills or other financial shortfalls. The post also maintains a loaner closet with mobility devices such as walkers, wheelchairs and crutches, which can be prohibitively expensive for a veteran in need.
The Venice VFW post has supported Goodwill’s veterans program for some time, with Post Commander Dennis F. Rotenberry noting, “Veterans can count on Goodwill to develop programs that are not readily available within the local communities or the VA’s current structured systems. They can also count on Goodwill for employment and continued job satisfaction when they have combat-related injuries that might limit them in terms of finding employment.”
Launched in 2013, Goodwill Manasota’s Veterans Services Program was created to help eliminate barriers to employment, provide opportunities for higher-paying positions for veterans and their families, and connect veterans with needed social services. The goal of the program is to help veterans reintegrate into their families, communities and jobs.
“All too often, we find that many veterans returning from combat find it difficult to secure jobs or access necessary services,” said CJ Bannister, director of the Veterans Services Program. “We believe that our veterans deserve more – they deserve access to services they have earned and programs that help them to transition from military service to civilian life. We are grateful to the VFW Post 8118 for its ongoing support as we work to serve and honor area veterans.”
For more on Goodwill’s Veterans Services Program, go to experiencegoodwill.org or call (941) 355-2721, ext. 451.
About Goodwill Manasota
Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With the sales of donated goods and philanthropic donations, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities and other barriers to employment by providing job skills training and employment opportunities. In 2016, Goodwill Manasota served 28,207 people, placed 755 people in jobs and assisted 240 veterans as they reintegrated back into the civilian workforce. Goodwill Manasota’s economic impact back to the community is worth $92.1 million. Goodwill is one of the pioneers of the reduce-reuse-recycle movement and this past year diverted more than 40 million pounds out of the landfill. We accomplish our mission through a network of Good Neighbor Centers in Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee and DeSoto counties and our Mission Development Services (MDS) around North America. Goodwill Manasota is accountable to a local Board of Directors. Goodwill Manasota, in essence, belongs to this community and is not owned by any individual or company. For more information, visit www.experiencegoodwill.org.