WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes is excited to announce a new partnership with Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) that supports wounded warrior, military caregiver and military spouse employment services and opportunities through career training, education, employment connections and fellowships to help them find meaningful employment opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.7 million veterans or 25% of the total, reported a service-connected disability and veterans with a service-connected disability had an unemployment rate of 4.8% in August 2019, the latest unemployment rates disability available. Approximately 39% of spouses or partners of wounded warriors contributed less than $25,000 per year or nothing at all household expenses, and 26.9% of them contributed between $25,000 and $50,000 per year, according to the 2019 WWP Annual Warrior Survey. Most wounded warriors share household expenses with a spouse or partner (60%).
“Our partnership with Wounded Warrior Project will allow us to connect with the underserved population of wounded veterans, caregivers and military spouses through the WWP network. Leveraging the grassroots efforts of Warriors to Work®, as well as the vast WWP alumni network, we will be able to reach deeper into the community to provide them with unique access to our programs and services, expand their social capital network and place them on a path to economic stability,” said Eric Eversole, president of Hiring Our Heroes and vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Approximately 5.5 million people provide unpaid care for active-duty military service members and veterans. The 2017 Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle Survey found that 30% of military caregiver respondents reported being unemployed.Launched in 2019, the Hiring Our Heroes Caregiver Fellowship Program is an initiative that provides caregivers of wounded warriors with professional training, networking, and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce. These paid six-week fellowships are offered in a growing number of host cities around the country. Fellowship candidates are carefully matched with participating companies based on the specific skills of the candidate and the preferences of both parties. Hiring Our Heroes also connects military spouses and transitioning service members with experiential learning opportunities through fellowships.Through this partnership, WWP became a National Advisory Circle member within Hiring Our Heroes’ Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Advisory Councils.
Hiring Our Heroes was one of 22 veteran and military service organizations awarded funding to assist in meeting the many needs of our nation’s wounded, injured, and ill veterans and their families. “Through these partnerships, we will expand the resources available to America’s injured veterans and help ensure they and their families are thriving long-term,” said WWP CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington. “It takes a united effort; no single organization can meet all the needs of wounded, injured, and ill veterans. We’re proud to support other veteran and military service organizations assisting wounded veterans both at the local and national level, connecting them with the resources they need to thrive in civilian life.”Since 2012, WWP has granted more than $260 million to 184 veteran and military service organizations. Learn more about WWP’s community partnerships.
About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers – helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more.
About The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF)
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness by addressing developments that affect our nation, our economy, and the global business environment.
About Hiring Our Heroes
Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) is a 501(c)3 organization under the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The non-profit launched in March 2011 as a nationwide initiative to help veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment. Working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s vast network of state and local chambers and other strategic partners from the public, private and nonprofit sectors, Hiring Our Heroes has helped hundreds of thousands of veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment through its comprehensive training and hiring events, fellowship programs, and online tools. HOH programs and services are available in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and on military installations around the world. For more information on programming and initiatives: HiringOurHeroes.org; @HiringOurHeroes on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
