Enable America Declares November Disabled Veteran Employment Mentoring Month
Author: Enable America
Published: 2009/10/31
Topic: Disability Awareness - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: Enable America is a non-profit working to improve employment opportunities for all people with disabilities.
Introduction
Enable America is a non-profit working to improve employment opportunities for all people with disabilities. In November, in conjunction with Veterans Day, it will focus efforts on providing employment mentoring to those with service-related disabilities.Main Item
Enable America, a non-profit organization devoted to empowering people with disabilities to achieve independence through employment, is declaring November Disabled Veteran Employment Mentoring Month, and will be coordinating programs to improve employment opportunities for wounded warriors.
"With Veterans Day coming up next month, it is most fitting to focus our November employment mentoring programs on men and women injured in the name of freedom," said Richard Salem, founder and CEO of Enable America. "These programs have been proven to open doors to all people with disabilities, and this is another important step in reaching out to our disabled veterans who want to work, but find difficulty in getting a job."
Enable America is well positioned to mentor disabled veterans, as the organization has a strong history of supporting wounded warriors. Its VetConnect program enhances existing rehabilitation programs for wounded war fighters. To date VetConnect has assisted more than 200 veterans and their families by linking them to peers who share similar experiences.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Enable America marked the occasion by helping the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) coordinate job mentoring programs in Florida. Tampa companies that have participated in Enable America programs include Progress Energy, Clark Construction, and Gerdau Ameristeel.
In addition, Enable America celebrated October by expanding its operations in Raleigh, North Carolina. Progress Energy has joined as a local partner in the efforts there, and a number of prominent North Carolina businesses are already participating in Enable America's programs, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, SAS, the Carolina Hurricanes, The Royal Bank of Canada, Rex HealthCare, and WRAL-TV.
"Employment mentoring provides invaluable experience to all people with disabilities," said Steve LaBour, Executive Director of Enable America. "Given Enable America's VetConnect experience, and the growth of our mentoring program, focusing November on helping to improve job opportunities for wounded warriors is an ideal way for us to help those who have sacrificed so much and ask for so little in return - a job."
"While this is the right time to begin this initiative, we won't limit our outreach to just November," LaBour said. "Enable America coordinates employment mentoring year-round, and we'll continue to build the bridges between employers who wish to diversify and enrich their workforce with those with disabilities who are ready, willing and able to work.
About Enable America: Enable America was established in 2002 by attorney Richard Salem as a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities find employment and live independently. The organization's Community Connections, Business Connections, and VetConnect programs unite members of the disability community and business community to raise awareness and increase employment opportunities for the 54 million Americans with disabilities, including our nation's wounded warriors.