Veterans serving in AmeriCorps are solving America’s most pressing challenges through service
During National Veterans and Military Families Month, AmeriCorps is proud to have the dual honor of serving our nation’s veterans and serving alongside them. This month, we thank those who have selflessly served in our armed forces. Servicemembers make tremendous sacrifices to defend our nation, and for many veterans, the military is just the beginning of their service to country. Veterans gain unique skills and leadership abilities through their military service that can be used to address challenges at home through another tour of duty opportunities in national service.
Thank you to those who have served and to the thousands of veterans who continue serving our nation each year wearing the AmeriCorps ‘A’.
Across the country AmeriCorps helps community-based efforts to meet the needs of veterans and military families through mentorship programs for military children, legal assistance, affordable housing, health care, counseling, and more. More than 20,000 veterans also serve in AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs each year, applying the skills they acquired in the military to help their communities by responding to disasters, building homes, mentoring at-risk youth, supporting other veterans, and more.
Mary Tobin, a combat veteran who served 10 years in the United States Army as a communications officer, including two tours in Iraq, who now serves as AmeriCorps senior advisor for Wounded Warrior, Veteran, and Military Family Initiatives continues to make serving and engaging veterans and military families one of the agency’s priority focus areas.
“For veterans looking for new ways to serve, AmeriCorps can help connect you to communities that are looking for leaders to tackle local problems. I believe supporting successful veteran reintegration through national service will help make our communities stronger at the same time.” Read more from Mary Tobin in The Hill.
In Quincy, Mass., John King drives veterans to medical appointments across Norfolk County. He’s done this for the past four years through RSVP of Norfolk County, an AmeriCorps Seniors program.
“You see some guys in very tough shape and you feel you are doing something, you make a difference,” shared King.
Overall, he has helped 14 people from Quincy, Weymouth and Braintree make their appointments at VA hospitals. During COVID-19, King brought extra food to a 99-year-old Milton veteran, Arthur, and then planned a car parade of more than 40 people, including police and fire, with the veteran's case manager to mark his 100th birthday. King served in the Navy from 1962-1966, while his father served in President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.
This month, and every month, join us in thanking veterans and those like John who served in the military. Collectively, veterans can build stronger communities with fresh ideas, energy, and human capacity to solve problems. If you know or are a veteran who is inspired to pursue another tour of service, share the opportunities available at americorps.gov/serve. And if you know of an organization that would like to apply for funding to serve veteran communities, check out the funding opportunities available.