Spotlight - 3 Ways to Give Back to Veterans You Need to Know

 

The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a vital resource for retired combat veterans. It provides access to services and support they need to transition into civilian life.

This would not be possible without the support of the wider community, whose contributions help fund the organization’s life-changing work. Here are three ways in which you can give back to military veterans through WWP:

 

1. Become a Corporate Sponsor

Corporate sponsorships are an essential resource for WWP. The organization currently works with more than a dozen sponsors, including Under Armour, AmazonSmile, and the NFL. By pledging an annual donation to WWP, your company can join this list and help contribute to the recovery of veterans from across the US.

The organization also has a special sponsorship program for those who give between $2,500 and $99,999 per year. These “corporate champions” receive access to WWP assets in return for their generous support.

 

2. Participate in a Soldier Ride

Every year, WWP hosts the Soldier Ride event as a way of encouraging residents of Long Island to support veterans who sustained injuries in combat. Participants have the opportunity to set their own fundraising goals. Friends and family can support participants by donating while they complete their 25-mile rides. In 2020, WWP moved the Soldier Ride online but encouraged participants to organize their own rides and ask their loved ones to donate.

 

3. Run in a Carry Forward 5K

You can support the work of the WWP by participating in one of the Carry Forward 5K events that the organization hosts across the country throughout the year. Most runners use these events as a way to raise money, but there are other unique ways to support veterans. For instance, WWP encourages participants to carry weights or people on their backs as they run to honor veterans and the burdens that they bear for our country. 

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Wounded Warrior Project - Connecting Veterans to Stable Employment

Since 2016, Dr. Erol Onel has served as vice president of the pharmaceutical research and development company Heron Therapeutics. Dr. Erol Onel also offers support to several charitable organizations, including Wounded Warrior Project, which offers programming for veterans who have sustained injuries and their families to help them lead meaningful, secure lives.

One of the organization’s key programs, Warriors to Work, provides career counseling and other support services to individuals who have sustained physical and/or mental wounds, as well as to their families and caregivers. Transitioning to a civilian workforce presents a number of challenges, and the initiative provides the tools necessary to find and maintain rewarding employment. 

Specialists work with clients to write a comprehensive resume, prepare for interviews, and set attainable goals. In addition, Wounded Warrior Project helps individuals network with nearby employers, many of whom rely on the organization to connect them to qualified, dedicated candidates. The organization also provides training on combat-related injuries and necessary accommodations to ensure a positive onboarding experience and a productive work environment.

Wounded Warrior Project Connects Veterans with US Forest Service Jobs

An experienced physician and researcher, Dr. Erol Onel serves as vice president of Heron Therapeutics in La Jolla, California. Outside of his professional life, Dr. Erol Onel supports the efforts of the Wounded Warrior Project.

Recently cohosting an informational seminar with the United States Forest Service, the Wounded Warrior Project helped educate injured veterans about jobs with the Forest Service. At the event, veterans learned new job-search strategies, met with other service personnel, and were shown how to perform job searches with the US Forest Service database. 

Forest Service personnel informed veterans about jobs they may not have considered pursuing, such as careers in the administrative and information technology divisions of the agency. Veterans also were given resume-writing and interviewing tips. A question-and-answer period wrapped up the event, with veterans gaining insight from Forest Service personnel about their experiences in the agency and how their careers developed over time.

WWP, USAA, and NFL Treat Vets to Pro Bowl, Super Bowl Experiences

An experienced physician, Dr. Erol Onel serves as vice president of Heron Therapeutics in La Jolla, California. Apart from his day-to-day work, Dr. Erol Onel is a longtime supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

WWP and the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) recently partnered in an effort to serve numerous wounded veterans by giving them the opportunity to take in Pro Bowl festivities and gifted one veteran a pair of tickets to Super Bowl LI. Veterans also had the opportunity to take part in the NFL Experience, in which they were treated to free meals and the chance to meet several players. 

Through a deal with the NFL, USAA and WWP were able to send 50 veterans, as well as their families, to the Pro Bowl game in Orlando. They also provided these former servicemen the chance to network and socialize with other local veterans as a way to help strengthen their support bonds. In his comments, WWP’s CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington thanked the USAA and the NFL for their continued support of wounded veterans. 

For more information about WWP and its efforts to help wounded veterans, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.