DVNF grants $20,000 to People for People Foundation for Veteran Life Skills program

CLAYTON, NJ—On September 17, 2018 the People for People Foundation of Gloucester County was awarded $20,000 from the Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF) to fund a series of comprehensive life skills class for veterans. The grant is funding the “Move Veterans to Self-Sufficiency Program” a series of classes that will start on October 1 and run throughout the year.

The first series in this program will focus on Computer Skills.

According to Bernadette Blackstock the President of the People for People Foundation The extent of the Life Skills to Move Veterans to Self Sufficiency will consist of educational programs, workshops and individualized counseling/coaching sessions for veterans and their family members. The programs will focus on budgeting and finance, cooking and nutrition, workforce development, securing benefits and access to consistent health care.

Blackstock states, “The People for People Foundation of Gloucester County is grateful to be recognized by the Disabled Veterans National Foundation and honored to be awarded $20,000 to support our Life Skills program initiative.”

She adds, “We just opened the doors to the South Jersey Veteran Resource Center at Camp Salute in August and DVNF’s support will help to breathe life into the whole facility by allowing us to do what we do best and help bring amazing life skills classes to our residents and veterans who visit our facility.”

The South Jersey Veteran Resource Center is located in the Community Center at the Camp Salute Affordable Housing Complex in Clayton, NJ. Accredited claims agents, life coaches, certified educational professionals and health care providers will be on hand at the facility to assist Camp Salute residents and veterans throughout the South Jersey region. Many of these experts will also be delivering the Life Skills programs.

The 76-unit Camp Salute apartment complex was built with a veteran and veteran surviving spouse preference. As the complex provides a permanent housing solution to many at-risk veterans, the Community Center provides a permanent headquarters for the People for People Foundation so they can provide consistent programs to the region through the South Jersey Veteran Resource Center.

“Along with Conifer, LLC, the Camp Salute developer, we created a community where veterans can find peace, built their confidence and gain life skills to improve their quality of life. It is the least we can do for the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our lives,” explains Blackstock.

“The DVNF grant couldn’t have come at a better time. We developed the “Life Skills” curriculum over the winter while the Camp Salute complex was under construction with the hope that when we opened the Community Center, we would institute parts of the program based on our financial resources. Now with the DVNF grant we have the ability to implement a seamless program without interruptions. It is truly a blessing for us and for our veteran clients.”

“DVNF is proud to support People for People Foundation of Gloucester County as they continue to make a positive impact in veterans’ lives through their series of comprehensive life skills class for veterans. Our grant is funding the Move Veterans to Self-Sufficiency Program” said DVNF CEO Joseph VanFonda (USMC Sgt. Maj. Ret.). “We would like to congratulate and thank them for their commitment to serving the men and women who served in defense of our country.”

To learn more about the Life Skills to Move Veterans to Sustainability visit: https://welcome.pfpfoundation.org/.

The People for People Foundation of Gloucester County is a grassroots 501 3 (c) organization founded in November of 2003 by community leaders who were concerned about helping their neighbors who fall on hard times.

People for People’s mission is to provide financial and advocacy assistance to South Jersey residents who are normally self-sufficient but have experienced a financial hardship due to loss of employment, sickness, accident, fire, or other unforeseen emergency.

In 2010, the People for People Foundation expanded their mission to include the welfare and well-being of veterans throughout the County and State. This was prompted by a dying wish made to Bernadette Blackstock, by her father-in-law, JP Blackstock. JP Blackstock, a WWII veteran, heroically stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, and was permanently disfigured in later battle. He received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Multiple Purple Hearts, and others. After returning to the states, Blackstock endured years of rehab and received consistent help from volunteers. Indebted to all the people who helped him, Blackstock dedicated most of the last 46 years of his life after service to volunteering with veterans. This dedication to veterans inspired the Camp Salute community concept and was built in honor of Blackstock’s memory.

The Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF) provides critically needed support to disabled and at-risk veterans who leave the military wounded—physically or psychologically—after defending our safety and our freedom. DVNF was created to help address the needs of our veterans, and to give comfort to those who need it most. Our staff works hard to reach out into veteran communities throughout the country, and through partnership, collaboration, and hard work, we are working to make veterans’ lives better.

DVNF serves veterans of all eras, but we have a special emphasis on helping men and women who are homeless, disabled, and those in need of mental and physical support. We also strive to be a vital resource to our friends around the country who are finding unique ways to touch the lives of veterans in their respective communities.