Veterans Green Jobs Celebrates Veterans Day with Announcements of New Programs, Initiatives at Events Around the Country

Contact:
Kirsten Maynard
Veterans Green Jobs
415-350-4147
kirsten@veteransgreenjobs.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 11, 2009

Veterans Green Jobs Celebrates Veterans Day with Announcements of New Programs, Initiatives at Events Around the Country

Veterans Green Jobs is a national nonpartisan organization providing returning military veterans with rapid training programs and deployment into meaningful jobs in the new energy economy.  Leveraging the investments already made in military personnel, Veterans Green Jobs retools them for a new mission: working on the frontlines here at home to implement energy conservation measures, renewable energy technologies and environmental restoration.  Partnering with academia and private industry, Veterans Green Jobs’ cohort-style training program has resulted in a skilled workforce currently performing conservation, energy efficiency and weatherization work as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Founded on the belief that veterans are the most valuable leadership asset available to our country, Veterans Green Jobs has created a national infrastructure of veterans trained in the skills necessary to lead these efforts to restore our communities, our environment and our economy.  To accomplish this vision, we have established four pathways of engagement that provide veterans with a chance to join in this new mission:

♣    Service Transition – hands-on work intensives that provide an ideal first step for those just coming out of military service or veterans who are ready to make a transition to a new life path

♣    Education & Training – industry-driven skill building designed for rapid application in business sectors with the greatest positive impact on our communities and the greatest potential for continued career development

♣    Placement & Development – partnerships with leading companies in emerging green job industries and a support network for veterans we place into jobs, ensuring ongoing success

♣    Direct Employment – enterprises that can both train and employ veterans as part of a transition to long-term employment in the private sector

In 2010, Veterans Green Jobs will launch programs across the U.S. to train veterans as leaders of market-based initiatives to manage weatherization programs, install solar panels and wind turbines, rebuild and retrofit homes, and replant and restore both urban and wildland environments.   Veterans Green Jobs has garnered wide praise for its success in 2009 and will celebrate at events around the country on Veterans Day:

Washington DC – George Washington University
Michelle Obama and Jill Biden Join Veterans Green Jobs and ServiceNation on Veterans Day to Launch MISSION SERVE: Forging a Continuum of Service

Military and civilian service leaders will celebrate the uniting of Veterans Green Jobs, Southwest Conservation Corps, Clipper Windpower and other organizations in strengthening our nation.  Veterans Green Jobs will highlight three of its programs that employ veterans in a new service mission here at home: to restore our communities, our environment and our economy.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
12 noon – 3:30 p.m.
George Washington University — Marvin Center and Lisner Auditorium
21st and H Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20052

These Veterans Green Jobs programs will be honored on Veterans Day:  
­    A partnership with the Southwest Conservation Corps to create the Veterans Green Corps, which trains and employs veterans in conservation work in our nation’s forests.
­    A wind power training program for veterans in partnership with Clipper Windpower
­    A City Canopy urban reforestation program which will employ formerly homeless veterans to plant more than 4,000 trees in the Denver metro area in partnership with the City of Denver Parks & Recreation

Washington DC – Finnish Embassy
Veterans Green Jobs, Northern Virginia Community College and Virginia Tech to Launch Green Jobs Training Program for Veterans

In partnership with NOVA and Virginia Tech, Veterans Green Jobs will announce the start of its first East Coast green jobs training program. The Ambassador of Finland Pekka Lintu and Mrs. Laurel Colless will host this evening reception featuring inspiring stories of Veterans Green Jobs graduates who are already leading initiatives in energy efficiency, land conservation, urban reforestation, renewable energy and other green jobs fields around the country.  Speakers include:
Congressman Jim Moran – 8th District of Virginia
Brett KenCairn – CEO, Veterans Green Jobs
Jeffrey Maurer – Vice President, Clipper Windpower

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
The Embassy of Finland
3301 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.

Fort Collins, CO
Colorado State University and Veterans Green Jobs Announce Veterans Green Jobs Education Initiative at CSU – Announcement Followed by a Veterans Day Panel Discussion Event:  VETERANS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Following a ceremony to sign a memorandum of understanding between CSU and VGJ to launch the Veterans Green Jobs Education Initiative, CSU will host a panel discussion about the current needs of student veterans titled, “Contemporary issues of student veterans in higher education.”

Wednesday, November 11
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Colorado State University – Lory Student Center, West Ballroom
Laurel Street (between Shields St. and College Ave.), Fort Collins, CO

The panel will consist of a representative from Congresswoman Betsy Markey’s office; John Kefalas, (D) Colorado State Representative; BJ Nikkel, (R) Colorado State Representative; Bill Doe, Associate Dean of Natural Resources and Veterans Green Jobs board member; and Christy Jacks, President of the CSU Student Veterans Group, SVA Ch.  There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door. Students are free with a CSU ID.  For more information about the CSU Veterans Day Event, visit:  http://www.news.colostate.edu/Release/4902

Boulder, CO
Whole Foods Community Giving Day Honors Veterans Green Jobs

On Veterans Day, the public is invited to shop Whole Foods Market’s Community Giving Day at the Broadway Street store in Boulder.  Whole Foods will donate 5% proceeds from all purchases made on Wednesday, November 11 to Veterans Green Jobs.   Veterans Green Jobs believes that a critical part of caring about communities includes taking care of the people who have defended our country through military service.  When soldiers return from duty, VGJ ensures that veterans become an integral part of communities here at home in order to accelerate their healing process.

Wednesday, November 11
11:00a.m. – 7:00p.m.
Whole Foods Market
1651 Broadway @ Arapahoe, Boulder, CO, 80302

Bentonville, AR
Walmart Foundation Honors Veterans Green Jobs at Company-Wide Veterans Day Event

Veterans Green Jobs founding sponsor Walmart Foundation has invited staff members Stacy Bare, Director of Operations, and Andre Winn, Education Associate, to present highlights from VGJ’s 2009 programs at a special Veterans Day event called “Supporting Our Veterans in Transition” at Walmart headquarters.

For more information about Veterans Green Jobs, visit:  http://veteransgreenjobs.org/