Given the state of the world at the moment, it’s easy to feel powerless when it comes to making a difference. But while the COVID-19 crisis has forced us all to adjust to a new normal, there are still plenty of organizations and nonprofits that remain committed to helping make the world a better and safer place for everyone. Veteran nonprofits are providing essential community services in these trying times to help keep neighborhoods safe and secure.
One organization committed to empowering veterans and strengthening community is The Mission Continues, a national, nonpartisan nonprofit that is committed to giving veterans the resources and opportunity to continue to be invaluable contributors to under-resourced communities. With programs set up all around the country, The Mission Continues teams up veteran volunteers with nonprofit partners and community leaders in order to ensure that no community is left behind.
How does The Mission Continues foster community? Through forging and strengthening neighborhood identity by empowering veterans to take on community leadership. Veterans that are placed in positions of leadership through The Mission Continues are able to help transform neighborhoods by bolstering education, increasing access to parks and other public spaces, and providing countless other resources for communities.
Even in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, The Mission Continues has not slowed down in empowering veterans and providing assistance to citizens across America while also adhering to social distancing to keep everyone safe. The Mission Continues has created a cross-functional task force that is working with local communities to make sure that safety guidelines are being strictly followed on every project, including touchless online registration for all volunteers, setting up hygiene stations on all project sites, and assigning safety officers to verify that all physical distance and PPE guidelines are being followed.
On Earth Day, hundreds of volunteers across America were able to overcome the challenges of social distancing and still made a difference in their communities while helping the planet. With the overwhelming success of Earth Day, The Mission Continues hopes to organize more events that will encourage people to stay active in serving their neighborhoods, communities, and cities.
The Mission Continues is committed to helping the cities that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic, as they lead recovery efforts to keep communities from being forgotten and underserved when they need assistance the most. Additionally, they are working to limit any unnecessary isolation, as veterans and volunteers are being connected by scheduling or hosting movie nights, game nights, and other social events that allow community building without compromising anyone’s health.
During these difficult times, it is essential to also treat mental health as well as physical health, which is why The Mission Continues is going the extra mile to prioritize the mental health of veterans. Along with holding an all-team annual retreat over Zoom, The Mission Continues’ platoon leadership network has performed more than 3,000 virtual ‘buddy checks’ to make sure platoon members are being heard.
Mary Tobin, a 10-year military veteran who was deployed to Iraq twice and was awarded the Combat Action Badge. Following her military service, Tobin began to work in the world of nonprofit. She worked with USA Cares, Community Solutions, and other organizations that supported veterans, women of color, and the homeless. Currently, she works as regional Executive Director for The Mission Continues.
“I had to feel like I was having a positive impact on someone or something,” she explains. “I served with some pretty amazing people. I want to live a life worthy of those who gave their lives for our freedom.”
Earlier this year, the Evan Williams American-Made Heroes Fund selected six inspiring veterans as their American-Made Heroes and will be making donations to the veteran-focused charities of their choosing, along with featuring them on their Evan Williams American Hero Edition bottles this summer.
Tobin chose to donate to The Mission Continues, where she currently works as regional Executive Director. By supporting The Mission Continues and other military nonprofits, the Evan Williams American-Made Heroes Fund is helping equip veterans to remain active in serving their communities.
And by giving back to those who have served, Evan Williams is honoring the sacrifices made by veterans while empowering them to be leaders in helping build America’s future. Along with sharing veteran stories and raising awareness for veteran causes, the Evan Williams American-Made Heroes Fund supports nonprofits that specifically serve the veteran community.
This article is sponsored by Evan Williams.