Class in session January 8, 2018. Cubicle workspaces

Group of new clients - picture was taken with their permission

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, March 9, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- What has a non-profit organization based in Wisconsin, relatively unknown, been doing over the past 90 days? Onward and Upward, an acclaimed military veteran company, has been seeking to understand why the rate of military suicides went from 22 to now over 30 per day in the United States. According to an article in the Washington Post written by Peter Marks, dated January 1, 2022, suicides by active-duty personnel and veterans are reaching new peaks. It is an alarming rising statistic that Onward and Upward want to stop from rising any further.

Who is this non-profit organization? It is a veteran-owned and veteran operated community online work center ("the Center") designed to be the facilitator of employment for persons experiencing housing insecurity and who are unemployed seeking online or onsite employment. Inside this facility is a classroom of laptop computers at one side of the building and on the other side of the building is an area of cubicle computer workstations. For those persons at the Center wanting to work online as remote employees, this arrangement fits perfectly. They have a place to work for their online employer part-time or full time with mentoring, healthy food and beverage, and a six-month program after which they graduate and take their computer home with them and continue working for their online employer.

For those persons who are employed to work onsite, the Center mentors them and if needed, coordinates transportation for them to get to their place of work safely and on time. In either case of online or onsite employment, the Center has a six-month program that includes housing and soft skills education designed to provide what is needed to get, keep, and level up in their employment. During the six months, the client works for their employer, saves up to three months of rent, utilities, and groceries, and attends all professional development training sessions covering topics such as Business interpersonal communication, reliability/dependability, conflict and negotiation, time management, stress management, money/budget management, and networking.

What's really great about having the Center is to see all the people who were once living in tents, on sidewalks, benches, and in alleys now gainfully employed and securely housed, getting, and staying back on their feet. It is also neat to witness the reunions of mothers with daughters, brothers with brothers, and couples once separated and are now able to be together thanks to having employment and a secure place to live.

Onward and Upward assisted 17 people in the first year of operation in 2017 (7 of which were military veterans) to be employed and housed never to return to being homeless. In 2018, there were 12 people (7 of which were military veterans) and in the third year, 2019, 38 people (12 of which were military veterans) who were once living in tents and are now housed and employed and are currently all living in their own homes, working for their employers (online and/or onsite) never to be homeless again. "Our organization inside the Center also teaches our clients and members of the community how to get, keep, and advance in any job they are working," states Onward and Upward. "We love to witness the personal and professional growth of everyone we are privileged to meet and assist with employment and advancement in employment. Our organization really enjoys being the conduit and catalyst of new beginnings for people who are without homes and without jobs, especially military veterans."

That is why, in the past 90 days, Onward and Upward is so delighted to have been introduced to five other such veteran services organizations who are also passionate about people having the services available for them to get back on their feet and remain on their feet sustainably. After meeting one another they formed a veteran’s coalition.

Onward and Upward continues, "Collectively and individually, we aim to make a difference in the lives of people, especially for our fellow military brothers and sisters. The five other organizations are Project Diehard, Veterans Warriors One-Stop-Shop (VWOSS), Faith Hope Love for Veterans, Hope Advanced, and Veterans Ranch. Transitional housing to veterans and to give a place where other veteran non-profits can provide their services is with Project Diehard, over 5000 resources and sources for handling issues with military transitioning and advocating for veterans from VWOSS, female issues are addressed and tiny home villages are established with Faith Hope Love for Veterans, credit, background issues, and tax liens are resolved with Hope Advanced, and the Veterans Ranch working with veterans and their families through horses (equine therapy) with the mission to get these great American to lay down their heavy coats of burden and walk off as new and improved versions of themselves."

Collectively, the five veteran service organizations and Onward and Upward is a veteran’s coalition with the mission of saving 22 military suicides from happening per day. Onward and Upward led a special day on 2/22/2022 called "2-22 to Save 22" to draw attention to this crisis and to announce that working together we can stop military suicide.

The event took place onsite at the Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, and via the online conference platform, Whova. The introduction of having a "home front forward operating base" was made on 2/22/2022. With the promise of introducing a possible solution to the crisis of military suicide, over 200 LinkedIn registrations for the 2-22 to Save 22 hybrid event occurred, and over 300 connections were made after the event to continue the conversation and begin making plans for this concept to become a reality.

Working interdependently with each of the five organizations in the veteran’s coalition, Onward and Upward is confident more and more military veterans will keep from going into a dark place and instead have a life worth living.

"We figure that if our brothers and sisters at arms have a life worth living, they will want to live it! We invite individuals and organizations who want to support us in the mission to stop military suicide to visit our website. For us to move forward in our collective and individual missions we are seeking people to help us as volunteers, sponsors, and/or donors of time, talent, and/or treasure. We know that stopping military suicide 'takes a village' and we are appreciative of all those who would stand with us in this fight to stop military suicide," concludes Onward and Upward.

Aurora DeRose
Boundless Media Inc.
+1 951-870-0099
email us here