Gi GO Fund Hosts 7th Annual Newark Veterans Job Fair Thanks to Support from Kessler Foundation
Active duty personnel, veterans and their families receive advice on jobs, college opportunities, and benefits to be made by job fair exhibitors
NEWARK, N.J. – More than 500 people – including active duty personnel, veterans and their families – participated in the 7th Annual Newark Veterans Job Fair hosted by The GI Go Fund, New Jersey’s largest veterans advocacy organization. The success of this year’s job fair was in part due to the support of Kessler Foundation, which helped provide workshops on resume writing and interviewing skills for many of the veterans who participated in the job fair.
Today’s job fair was the first held this year by the GI Go Fund, whose Executive Director, Jack Fanous, has been outspoken about the historically high unemployment rates among veterans in recent years – including in a recent op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Fanous said that efforts to connect veterans to meaningful employment cannot relent with recent reports of slight improvement in the national veterans unemployment rate.
“It was only a year ago when the federal government found New Jersey to have the highest veterans unemployment rate, which is why we so greatly appreciate the employers and organizations who made themselves available to our veterans and their families today,” said Fanous. “And because veterans’ disabilities are often an obstacle to employment, we are particularly proud to be partners with Kessler Foundation. Kessler Foundation is relentlessly searching for those breakthroughs that can help veterans with disabilities lead the most fulfilling lives possible, and we are grateful for their support in helping us connect veterans with jobs.”
“We are proud to support the GI Go Fund’s efforts to help connect those who have served in our nation’s military with employment opportunities and access to education,” said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. “Their initiatives will lead to employment and generate effective strategies so that more veterans with disabilities earn a paycheck and contribute to the workplace and economy.”
More than 60 exhibitors representing employers, educators, and veterans benefits organizations participated in today’s job fair. A list of exhibitors can be found at the end of this release.
The GI Go Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that provides assistance to all military veterans, with a focus on veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, by helping them find employment, access housing and secure their education and health benefits. Through an innovative partnership with the City of Newark, The GI Go Fund has created an historic program and has become one of the leaders in the veterans community through creating innovative, 21st century solutions to help veterans. To learn more about The GI Go Fund, visit www.gigofund.org.
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.
The GI Go Fund and Kessler Foundation thank the employers, educators and organizations that participated in today’s job fair:
PSEG
Graybar Electric Company
U.S. Veterans Administration Homeless Outreach
The Vet Center
Hatch Mott MacDonald
Pennsylvania State Police
The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey
Community Hope, Inc.
University of Phoenix
Trident University International
N.J. Helmets to Hardhats
Teledyne LeCroy
WDHA & WMTR/ Greater Media New Jersey
New Jersey SHARES
U.S. Social Security Administration
Mobile Technical Training
upSKILL
New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Affairs
New Jersey Department of Labor
OEI/Captioned Telephones
Council for Airport Opportunity
Langan Engineering & Environmental Services
Bank of America
Catholic Charities and Catholic Family Services
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
American Credit Alliance, Inc.
Thomas Edison State College
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ VA for Vets Program
Easter Seals New Jersey
APG Security, LLC.
Bright Star
Sprint Federal Relay Service
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Prudential Financial
Passaic County One Stop Career Center
Sutherland Healthcare Solutions
New Community Corp.
NJ Transit
Trident University International
Flyte Tyme Worldwide
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
New Jersey Veterans Helpline
Office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker
Newark Department of Health and Community Wellness
Drew University
N.J. Department of Military &Veterans Affairs
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice
United Community Corporation
The Port Authority of NY & NJ
New York City Police Department
NJ TLD Talent Network
N.J. State Parole Board Veteran's Initiative
St. Michaels Medical Center
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Essex County
Rutgers Business School Executive Education
New York City Fire Department
County of Union, New Jersey, Veterans Affairs
City of Newark Department of Veteran Affairs
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - VBA Vocational Rehabilitation
Infineum USA L.P.
Toys ‘R’ Us
Newark Community Solutions
United Airlines
New York University Langone Medical Center
Wounded Warrior Project
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Contacts:
Lauren Scrivo, 973.768.6583, [email protected]
Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382, [email protected]
Paul Brubaker, 201.704.6981, [email protected] (GI Go Fund)
