Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas We are all grateful for the work they do and continue to do for our returning Veterans"
said State Senator Leticia Van de Putte as the Walmart Foundation presented the American G.I. Forum (AGIF) National Veterans Outreach Program (AGIF-NVOP) with a grant of
$750000 for the NVOPs TX-VET program. This grant will serve to help veterans with transition assistance as well as employment placement assistance an extension of Walmarts effort to reduce unemployment among Veterans.
A Ceremonial check presentation was held on the south steps of the State Capitol attended by Senator Leticia Van De Putte Chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and Military Installations and Representative Jose Menendez Chair Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee in the House. Both elected officials thanked Walmart for their continued effort to help Veterans. Walmart is the largest corporate contributor to Veterans in the Nation.
Representative Menendez equally praised Walmart and added The American GI Forum with 40 years of serving veterans continues to partner with the private and public sector to bring services to veterans." We thank them for their work."
Carlos Martinez President and CEO of the NVOP in his remarks also praised the private and public sector for their continued support of Veterans.
Thank you
Representative Menendez and
Senator Van De Putte for taking time to be with us today in spite of your very hectic schedule with all the work of the legislature; but it does not surprise me that
these champions for veterans are here because they are always at the forefront of supporting veterans. And I know many of you in the audience have also taken time from your schedules to be here for the same reason to support veterans.
I have had the privilege of serving veterans since 1972 and I can tell you that the support the veterans are enjoying today in Texas has not always been the case. So todays event is a very exciting time for me …. to see one of our nations premier corporations stepping up to do their part for veterans. This is the way it should be;
veterans did their part for all citizens of this great nation and all of us need to recognize that and to assist them whenever we can whether it be in
personal gestures from private citizens or in
major ways from Americas great enterprises.
This wonderful support that the Walmart Foundation is entrusting us with today will allow us to set-up a unique program reaching out to the younger veterans that served during the Gulf War…. and by all surveys are now suffering the unimaginable unemployment rates in excess of 25. This grant will allows us to help with transitional assistance as well as employment placement assistance.
The program will set-up Outreach Centers in the six Texas cities of
San Antonio Houston Dallas Ft. Worth El Paso and
Killeen a widespread network that can help veterans in all sectors of the state. This new
TX-VET program as we are calling it will
actively outreach for these younger veterans that can be served by the array of services offered at the American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program including
personalized assessment information and referral services
job preparation training job development assistance
job placement and
extensive follow-up assistance.
. . . . this is a special day in our 40-year history…. and I want to
sincerely thank the Walmart Foundation not only for the
confidence they have shown the American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program to carry out this new program ….
but also for the many things this great corporation is
doing for veterans across the country. They are a
shining example of how corporate America can also step up and do their part and Im sure
Mr. Sam Walton a
veteran himself would be
beaming at serving his fellow veterans. The
American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program commends Walmart for this
great leadership. Thank you.
The check was presented by Mr. Nick Salazar San Antonio and Southwestern Region Representative for Walmart. Accepting the ceremonial check on behalf of the NVOP were Carlos Martinez President & CEO and Gil Rodriguez Chairman of the Board.
Pictured are Senator Van de Putte Representative Menendez Carlos Matinez Walmart representative and members of the NVOP Board of Directors.
