Walmart Guarantees Employment, Funded Support Programs For Vets
By Megan Zielinski, contributing writer
On May 21, Walmart announced plans to hire 100,000 veterans by 2019 and to grant an additional $20 million to support job training programs, education, and transitional service in an ongoing effort to assist military families nationwide.
Last Memorial Day, the global leading retailer launched Walmart’s Welcome Home Commitment, a company program dedicated to honoring veterans through direct job placement and funding services. Since the beginning of the Walmart Welcome Home Commitment, the span of just a year, over 42,000 veterans can now support themselves and families with jobs at Walmart. Whether it be a part-time job to help their family thrive, working at Walmart while furthering education, or establishing a career, Walmart promises job offers to all honorably discharged veterans within the first 12 months out of active duty. “We value the qualities veterans learned in the service — leadership, commitment, discipline, problem solving, and hard work. We are honored to have veterans on our team — to learn from them and support them in every way we can.” Bill Simon, President and CEO, Walmart U.S.
With more than 1 million veterans switching over to civilian life over the next five years, and unemployment at an excessively high rate for veterans since 9/11, Walmart, along with many other companies, are realizing the significance of serving those who served our country. Starbucks plans to hire 10,000 veterans and spouses by 2018. “Veterans come to us with a sense of community and service for one another that adds tremendous value to Starbucks,” states John Kelly, senior VP, Global Responsibility and Public Policy.
In 2011, the Walmart Foundation pledged $20 million toward programs that provide employment services to help veterans and families, with intentions to meet that amount by 2015—Walmart succeeded that goal as of this year. Simon states, “In addition to the good jobs we offer, our Foundation’s commitment is helping even more veterans build the skills they need to succeed in their careers.”
The Walmart Foundation set a new goal, pledging an additional $20 million through 2019, distributed to organizations, including Swords to Plowshares, a San Francisco-based service helping veterans overcome psychological, economic, and cultural obstacles to transition to civilian life, will receive $1.35 million from the Walmart Foundation. The organization previously received $750,000 from the Foundation. The funds combined provide expanded services in California and Texas.
National Veterans Outreach Program founded by American GI Forum, a San Antonio-based agency, providing job training, family support and job placement to unemployed and underemployed veterans of 35 years old and under, will benefit from a $1 million fund through the Foundation. The origination was first developed with help of Walmart’s contribution of $750,000 in 2012.
A grant through SAM’s Club of $450,000 will be issued to the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, expanding leadership opportunities for female veterans through the Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE), covering the costs for 300 graduates to attend the inaugural V-WISE Graduate Conference in the fall.
“Through continued, collaborative work with our nonprofit partners, we will support innovative public/private community-based initiatives that address the challenges many of our veterans face when returning to the civilian workforce and their communities. There is no better tribute to our men and women who serve than supporting them when they return home,” says Kathleen McLaughlin, president of the Walmart Foundation.