Wounded Warrior Workforce

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	Wounded Warrior Workforce Conference January 28, 2010 Project HIRED held a one-day Wounded Warrior Workforce Conference on Thursday, January 28, 2010. Project HIRED’s new 2010 Wounded Warrior Workforce Initiative will build upon our core services which provide job search skills and resources to enable individuals with disabilities to gain and sustain employment. While focusing on returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with disabilities, as well as other vets, we are seeking to bring together businesses, the community, and individuals like you to understand the challenge; and take action by commitment and through partnerships.
	Project HIRED opened the doors to welcome participants from leading Silicon Valley companies, like-minded nonprofits, educational institutes, and several government agencies. Thank you to the staff and volunteers who greeted the attendees at registration with welcoming smiles and plenty of information.
	Many Project HIRED board members participated in the conference, lending their support and compassion for this exciting and critical workforce initiative. Participants attended from distances as far away as Washington D.C.
	Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese commended Project HIRED for standing up in the community as a voice and advocate for people with disabilities and their focus on returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, as well as other vets. Fresh baked scones and cookies were donated by Owner and “Chief Flavor Officer” John S. LoCurto. As a Project HIRED alumni and veteran, John wanted to find a way to give back and promote his entrepreneurial business Swoonworthy Bakery which he recently began
	Alvin Ramlu, a decorated veteran injured in Afghanistan and employee at the Palo Alto VA Hospital ended his speak with, “I don’t know what my future career will be. I am taking it day by day. But I know that I will be alright as long as I can work and bring home a paycheck. And Project HIRED makes that possible for me and others who need it so desperately. John F. Kennedy once said this about thanking veterans. He said, ‘As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.’ By helping injured veterans find and sustain employment Project HIRED is expressing its thanks through action.”
	Gwen Ford, Director, Business Operations & Business Development, launched our Wounded Warrior Workforce. Inspired by her own son's deployment to fight in Afghanistan, and wanting to do more than send care packages and emails to him overseas, she was instrumental in establishing a career transition program for disabled veterans, with special attention to returning disabled veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Download the Progam overview here
	The Executive Roundtable provided corporate, government agencies and nonprofit executives an opportunity for peer-to-peer networking and discussion about how adding disabled veterans to their workforce supports their business objectives.
	The morning seminars were for current and potential employers of veterans with disabilities. Dr. Norman T. Reynolds, Comprehensive Psychiatric Consulting Services gave an excellent presentation of “What to expect when employing veterans with disabilities such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Purchase the DVD
	The afternoon seminars were for veterans with disabilities who are job seekers. A dozen corporations and agencies participated in the Career & Resource Fair. Two individuals were invited to interview at NASA Ames and Yahoo! There were twenty-nine (29) vets who accepted the invitation to attend the conference. This event gave them the opportunity to network together and learn about services that are available. Last week, a van load of veterans arrived for orientation and are eager to return to the civilian workforce.

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