United Way to start veterans project

The United Way of the CSRA is one of the first organizations in Georgia to participate in the Veteran/Wounded Warrior Initiative put in place by President Obama.

The initiative is an expansion of the AmeriCorps VISTA program, said Joan Stoddard, the community building coordinator and project supervisor for the United Way office.

"When President Obama came on board, he put in place the Recovery Act and the Serve America Act. As part of his initiatives, there is a veteran initiative to help more veterans throughout the United States," she said. "Part of that is to work through AmeriCorps to assign more AmeriCorp VISTAs to work with veterans and veterans' families in need."

The organization received approval Aug. 1 to start a pilot program from the Corporation for National and Community Service, Georgia State Office. It had to complete an application and identify the veterans' needs for this area, she said.

The program will fill three AmeriCorps VISTA positions with veterans or wounded warriors who will assist local organizations that serve veterans or military families.

The first two positions will assist the CSRA Wounded Warrior Care Project to build its capacity and to help veterans "navigate the higher education system," she said, adding that the organization has begun interviewing for those positions.

The third will be placed with an organization that hasn't been identified yet.

"We're very excited about having this opportunity and being chosen as one of the first pilot projects in Georgia to take on the veteran initiative," she said. "We think it's a great opportunity for us to expand what United Way does and what we're about -- helping people in the community."

For more information about the initiative, call (706) 722-5544.

Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3336 or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.