Empowering Veterans: Opportunities and Support Across Georgia and Montana

In 2023, the Veterans Community Fund, an associate-led giving committee at the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, awarded $1 million in grants and sponsorships to 17 organizations to connect veterans and their families to post-service OPS: Opportunities, Purpose and Support. The grants were made specifically to organizations that support veterans in Georgia and Montana, including The Warrior Alliance, Atlanta Legal Aid and Great Plains Veterans Service Center.

The Warrior Alliance received a $450,000 grant to support veterans across Georgia through two signature programs: the Veterans Legal Services Network and Operation Double Eagle. The Warrior Alliance mission is to improve the quality of life for service members, veterans and their families through a total care network of veteran support organizations. The Veteran Legal Service Network provides a statewide automated solution to connect veterans to attorneys that specialize in areas of civil and military legal matters through a network of law schools, nonprofits, law firms and private legal service providers. Operation Double Eagle helps veterans apply skills that were learned during military service to new careers in the golf and turf industries through college-accredited education courses, industry certification and hands-on application.

A $170,000 grant was awarded to Atlanta Legal Aid to support the Veterans Law Project. The mission of Atlanta Legal Aid is to help low-income people meet basic needs by removing barriers to justice through civil legal assistance. The Veterans Law Project assists veterans who are homeless or experiencing housing instability with legal matters that are creating barriers to achieving much needed stability. Atlanta Legal Aid assists with a variety of veteran legal matters including eviction defense, VA benefits, public benefits and health insurance, access to appropriate support services, disability rights, poor housing conditions, end of life planning, family law and consumer law.

Great Plains Veterans Service Center received a $150,000 grant to support the specialized needs of Indigenous veterans in 17 rural counties in Montana. The mission of the Great Plains Veterans Service Center is to provide safe, welcoming and reliable healthcare transportation services to all veterans across Montana. Direct services are offered to all veterans on the Rocky Boy’s, Fort Belknap and Blackfeet Indian Reservations, including referral services for housing and healthcare, counseling and assistance for VA enrollment and benefits.

“The Veterans Community Fund is committed to helping veterans thrive in Georgia and Montana as they build their futures after military service,” said Shauna Greene, program officer, Founder Initiatives, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “Our 2023 grantees are largely focused on career and workforce development, veteran well-being through physical fitness and addressing legal needs. Partnerships include nonprofits that specialize in working with Indigenous veterans and children of veterans, including fallen heroes.”

The mission of the Veterans Community Fund is to empower U.S. veterans and their families to thrive in Georgia and Montana. The foundation’s approach includes grant partnerships with nonprofit organizations, collaboration with private and public stakeholders and veteran-centered community engagement.