CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 4, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today at Charlotte's Goodwill Opportunity Campus, NCServes – Metrolina public, private, and nonprofit organizations will celebrate their one year anniversary alongside North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (NCDMVA) Secretary Major General Cornell Wilson, Jr. (USMC, Ret.), the Walmart Foundation, The Leon Levine Foundation, Accenture, and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF). The event begins at 9:30 a.m. (EST), and commemorates a successful year for the network, which connected over 1,200 unique Charlotte-area veterans and military family members to over 2,800 unique types of services, care, and resources available within this vibrant community.
Home to the fourth largest active military contingent in the United States, NCDMVA, county, and federal partners embraced the opportunity to support the strategy development and implementation of the statewide public-private partnership that underpins NCServes – Metrolina. State agencies, community leaders, local nonprofits, charities, and philanthropic supporters agreed that while each entity was successful at serving veterans and their families within their respective organizations, the community had an obligation to strive towards greater impact through a common agenda and formal coordination of services, resources, and care. Through the leadership of Charlotte Bridge Home, a network of nearly 50 committed health and human service providers and 150 practitioners; the generosity of the Walmart Foundation, The Leon Levine Foundation, and Foundation for the Carolinas; and the technical support of IVMF, Accenture, and Unite Us, NCServes – Metrolina has established itself as a leading example for how best to serve those who have served.
Secretary Wilson reinforced the State's commitment to NCServes' expansion into three additional regions that include Raleigh/Durham, Coastal Carolina, and Winston Salem over the next year. "On behalf of Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina's 775,000 veterans, I'm thankful to the members of this transformative public private partnership that have worked to make NCServes – Metrolina a success. Together, we have cut veterans unemployment, reduced veteran homelessness, and made access to services and benefits easier for those that have served their country. NCServes further enhances our state-level resource network, NC4VETS, and sets a high bar for the rest of the nation. I eagerly await the day when veterans, service members, and their families in more of North Carolina's counties will be able to access this game-changing resource."
The NCServes – Metrolina network is part of a broader national effort, AmericaServes (http://americaserves.org/), led by IVMF with support from the Walmart Foundation. "Through our collaboration with IVMF and the AmericaServes team on the ground in North Carolina, we have learned what's possible when a community leads and works towards a common goal," said Kathy Cox, of the Walmart Foundation. "The Walmart Foundation is proud to support an initiative that connects strong resources across sectors to help our veterans, service members, and military families navigate re-entry to civilian life."
Today's event at Goodwill's recently-opened Leon Levine Opportunity Center is more than a celebration; it also includes a comprehensive review of NCServes – Metrolina's performance as part of its ongoing effort to drive greater outcomes for its beneficiaries. "NCServes is aligned with our founder's mission of helping individuals and families attain self-sufficiency and provides a much needed framework for provider collaboration and comprehensive outcome measurement when serving veterans and military families," said Tom Lawrence, executive director of The Leon Levine Foundation. "We are thrilled that our investment in NCServes is combining the capabilities of so many great local, state, and national organizations into one streamlined and highly accountable network."
Veterans, service members, and their families have several ways in which they can access NCServes. Across both the Charlotte/Metrolina and Raleigh/Durham region, more than 80 service health and human service providers are standing by to assist clients. Clients may also directly access the NCServes networks online at www.ncserves.org by phone at 855-425-8838 (Charlotte/Metrolina) or 866-249-6656 (Raleigh/Durham). Clients can also contact the state-level veteran and military family resource network, 844-NC4-VETS or online at www.nc4vets.com where the NCDMVA team will seamlessly transfer clients to the regional NCServes network based on where they currently live or are relocating to. New markets will also be accessible through the state or directly as they become available.
Media Contacts:
Charlotte Bridge Home Contact: Blake Bourne, 704-332-8802, bbourne@charlottebridgehome.org
NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Jeff Smith (844) NC4-VETS, jeff.smith@doa.nc.gov
The Leon Levine Foundation: Tom Lawrence 704-817-6500, tlawrence@leonlevinefoundation.org
Walmart Media Contact: Tricia Moriarty, 1-800-331-0085, news.walmart.com/reporter
IVMF Media Contact: Ilario Pantano, 910-616- 9961, igpantan@syr.edu
ABOUT CHARLOTTE BRIDGE HOME
Founded in 2011, the Charlotte Bridge Home helps Charlotte veterans successfully transition home after military service by identifying their education, employment, and healthcare needs and then connecting them to available community, state and federal resources. Read more at, www.charlottebridgehome.org.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
Under the leadership of Secretary Cornell Wilson, the newly created Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (2015) focuses on protecting North Carolina's military installations, working with the communities around military bases, helping military families and veterans get the support and services they need, and helping connect veterans with jobs. Read more at, www.milvets.nc.gov.
ABOUT THE LEON LEVINE FOUNDATION
The Leon Levine Foundation's mission is to improve the human condition by creating permanent, measurable and life-changing impact. The organization invests in nonprofits with a successful track record and a focus on sustainability in the areas of healthcare, education, Jewish values and/or human services. Started by Leon Levine, the creator of the first Family Dollar Store in Charlotte, N.C., in 1980, the foundation has grown into one of the country's largest and most impactful philanthropic organizations. For more information, please visit www.leonlevinefoundation.org.
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
The Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) is the first interdisciplinary national institute in higher education focused on the social, economic, education and policy issues impacting veterans and their families post-service. Supported by a world-class advisory board and public and private partners committed to advancing the post-service lives of America's service members, veterans and their families, the IVMF and its professional staff deliver class-leading programs in career, vocations, and entrepreneurship education and training. The IVMF also provides actionable and national impacting research, policy analysis and program evaluation; coordinates comprehensive collective impact strategies; and works with communities and non-profits to enhance service delivery for veterans and their families. Read more at http://vets.syr.edu/.