United Way of Tarrant County, through its Mission United military outreach and services initiative, today announced its Veterans Fund has awarded $340,268 in grants to seven nonprofits dedicated to supporting military service members who are returning to civilian life in the Tarrant County area. The services funded include counseling, career and financial coaching, addiction treatment and other high-priority needs.
This year’s beneficiaries include 22KILL, the Center for Transforming Lives, CLC, Inc., Recovery Resource Council, Tarrant County Veterans Treatment Court, VETCO and Wholy Works CDC.
“As a Navy veteran, I understand the difficulties many of our servicemen and women have when returning to civilian life,” said TD Smyers, president and CEO of United Way of Tarrant County. “We are proud to fund services that help those who served in the armed forces and ensure they feel welcomed in the community.”
Launched in 2013, the United Way of Tarrant County Veterans Fund was conceptualized and established by Lockheed Martin, which has continually provided the majority of funding each year. The 2018-2019 grants are made possible by contributions from Lockheed Martin, Bell and individual donors.
The grants will support the following services:
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
- Recovery Resource Council is receiving $125,000 for the expansion of its service space and for evidence-based individual, group and family counseling for anxiety and depression reduction, consumer advocacy and peer navigation for veterans.
- 22Kill is receiving $50,000 for counseling services providing guidance, wellness and healing from invisible wounds through evidence-based therapies for individuals, couples and families.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
- CLC, Inc. is receiving $65,000 to provide training and employment services to veterans and their families, specifically including female and hard-to-reach veterans. Participants work with Employment Specialists to create individualized plans and undergo training and placement activities that lead to employment.
LEGAL SERVICES
- Tarrant County Veterans Treatment Court is receiving $60,000 for an alternative program for veterans returning from combat who face prosecution for non-violent offenses. The program locates veterans, assesses their needs and diverts them to supervised, intensive treatment. Upon successful completion of the program, veterans’ records are expunged.
CAREER AND FINANCIAL COACHING
- The Center for Transforming Lives is receiving $20,000 for career and financial coaching. Experienced coaches trained in trauma-informed care will provide evidence-based services once a month.
SPECIALTY SERVICES
- Wholy Works CDC is receiving $12,268 to fund a program manager to provide specialized, case-specific social services to female veterans and their families.
- VETCO is receiving $8,000 for its specialty conference bringing together veterans groups and service providers.
About United Way of Tarrant County
United Way of Tarrant County has worked to improve the lives of those in our communities for more than 95 years. As a nonprofit leader, we bring together individuals, groups, donors and service providers to help solve some of the toughest social issues affecting Tarrant County. Each year, United Way helps more than 300,000 people through its resources. United Way of Tarrant County has no fees on donor designations, with 100 percent of the donation going to the selected agency or cause.
About Mission United
Mission United, a military and veterans outreach and services initiative of United Way of Tarrant County, helps veterans, active duty military members and their families in North Texas find community resources and gain access to a variety of services including primary, specialty and mental health care; job training and employment; housing assistance; and education to develop skills for transitioning to civilian life.
For more information, visit www.unitedwaytarrant.org.
