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Dixon Center Female Veterans Program: Hope

Dixon Center Female Veterans Program: Hope

According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, women made up 15% of the active-duty military force in 2015. Women are the fastest growing group among military and veteran populations. As more women serve in and eventually separate from the military, like all veterans, they seek continued opportunities to serve in successful careers, build community relationships, and maintain a comfortable lifestyle with their families.

Like many of their male counterparts, countless female veterans will face seemingly impossible challenges to their hopes and goals. Female veterans are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than a non-veteran female. One in five is homeless, and 12.5% of female post-9/11 veterans are unemployed. And yet, these numbers scarcely tell the whole story of the unique circumstances female veterans encounter after military separation. In fact, female veterans are habitually missed in federal censuses.

Dixon Center saw the unique need of female veterans, creating the Female Veterans Program in 2014 to provide emergency relief for at-risk female veterans and their families by intervening and preventing crisis. We recognize the special healthcare needs, risk factors, and survival strategies these women have. Whether it was domestic abuse, divorce, loss of work, or high medical cost that was the final straw, Dixon Center’s jump start grants give female veteran recipients the hand up they need to achieve a level of comfort and security during a challenging time in their lives. We want to assure these veterans, like all others, they are not forgotten after leaving service.

“In a nut shell, because of the Female Veterans Program, an [in]surmountable amount of stress has been lifted from my life.” Julie sought assistance through Dixon Center when she suddenly faced a difficult medical diagnosis and was at risk of losing her only mode of transportation to and from appointments and treatments. A one-time grant, in addition to professional financial counseling, has allowed Julie to refinance her car, make reasonable payments, and still travel to her medical procedures as needed. It’s just one less thing on her plate.

Sometimes that’s all that is needed. Applicants can request emergency financial assistance for items such as food, infant supplies, or work-related clothing, or to be used for utility payments, gas and vehicle maintenance, or educational expenses.

But sometimes the need feels so much greater. Jasmine is a disabled combat veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2008 to 2009. Since her deployment she has had difficulty integrating back into civilian life. Jasmine suffers from PTSD, Major Depression Disorder, severe anxiety, and chronic bronchitis. She had been homeless since February 2015. That same year she had been undergoing intensive inpatient treatment and had successfully graduated in May 2016 from the VA’s Women’s Power Program. Jasmine felt ready to live on her own and hoped to complete her bachelor’s degree in Human Services. However, she also hoped to continue her care which required a relocation closer to the VA medical facility. It was through her application to Dixon Center that we were able to see a woman’s great desire to succeed in her own life and were able to offer aid.

“Because of [Dixon Center] I was able to regain my independence by moving into my own apartment. The assistance provided me the opportunity to continue my college education. I just completed scheduling my courses. Your program has given me a whole life and I will be eternally grateful. I would like to thank you on behalf of all female veterans. You give us hope!”

Each request for support is handled with the utmost sensitivity. The continual need for assistance among female veterans in this country is growing, though we progressively notice that female veterans are often to last to seek assistance. For many, the unforeseen challenges with reintegration into civilian life forcing female veterans into financial hardship is disheartening. Dixon Center’s Female Veteran Program seeks to empower personal, financial change so these women and veterans can begin to rebuild their individual solid foundation in life.

Learn more by visiting our Women Veterans Program page.  With your help we can continue to engage organizations and communities to better connect with military families and veterans, like Jasmine and Julie, who seek meaningful employment, education, housing, and overall wellness. Click here to help us make a larger impact.

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Dixon Center is Reaching America

Dixon Center is Reaching America

Dixon Center constantly strives to provide timely support to and through our partners to best serve our nation’s veterans and their families. With over one million active duty military returning to their communities from service in the next few years, there is no time to waste.

This fall, Dixon Center embarked on our first ever multi-media fundraising campaign to raise awareness of and funds to sustain our mission. Through this campaign we invite our audiences and you to learn more about our endeavor to reach communities and their local veterans with reintegration assistance.

Today, Dixon Center is broadcasting in communities large and small to address gaps and provide solutions in supportive services for our veterans and their families. With your help we can continue to engage organizations and communities to better connect with these veterans, like Tommy and Jenn. Through this new media and with your support, we are “Reaching America”.

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Today We Remember: Army Staff Sergeant Donnie Dixon

Today We Remember: Army Staff Sergeant Donnie Dixon

Donnie Dixon talked about joining the military practically from the time he said his first words. At 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and set off for boot camp. From his first days in boot camp until his untimely death at 37, Staff Sergeant Dixon was the epitome of a soldier’s hero.

All combat veterans display bravery on a daily basis. But Staff Sergeant Dixon had something special, something beyond bravery that made him a beacon of strength and faith and courage for his fellow soldiers. “He had the natural ability to stay focused and take charge in any situation,” said Colonel David Sutherland, Commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Calvary Division. “He had an infectious laugh, once you heard him laugh, you couldn’t help but join in,” said Captain Michael Duran, Dixon’s platoon leader. “He had a way of telling stories—he was always entertaining and could tell a story about anything.”

“He was a great friend, mentor and leader; he was a great father figure. He always placed the mission and the welfare of his soldiers first. No matter what mission came up, Staff Sergeant Dixon was always ready,” said Staff Sergeant Mario Whitaker, one of Dixon’s fellow Non- Commissioned Officers (NCO). “He was a man of his word and stood up for what was right. He was blunt and to the point. I looked to him for advice, and I knew he would tell it to me straight.” “He welcomed all challenges and did not back down from anything or anyone regardless of rank or position. And, he often encouraged his soldiers to do the same.”

“Staff Sergeant Dixon meant a lot to everyone. He was the type of person that would do anything for everyone.”

“He was a dedicated family man. He was really proud about his family, and everyone knew how much of a family man he was. If you went into his room, you would see birthday cards, anniversary cards… and pictures of his wife and kids.”

“Staff Sergeant Dixon was my first line supervisor and best friend while I was in the US Army,” said Sergeant Tommy Haire. “He was the living embodiment of an NCO, leader and warrior.”

Sergeant Haire emphasizes Staff Sergeant Dixon’s stick-to-itiveness. He tells the story of an ongoing “argument’ that they had about Dixon’s beloved Miami Hurricanes and about who was the better defensive end—Warren Sapp or Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson. “Donnie was convinced that Sapp was the better player. I was convinced that Johnson was the superior. But Donnie hammered and hammered—and even enlisted other soldiers to back up his argument points. Finally, after two full days of relentless teasing and arguing, I finally gave in. It became a running theme, so much so that one day, while on a combat patrol, we came under fire by the enemy, and there was a lot of confusion and radio chatter. Dixon spoke to me over the internal headset. In a perfectly calm voice, during a very tense time, he said, ‘Sergeant Haire, you need to get us out of this situation so I can continue educating you on NCAA Football.’ At that moment I knew everything would be fine. If Donnie Dixon was calm enough to keep up the argument in that moment, then I should be calm enough to call out enemy combatants and eliminate them. And I did.”

Staff Sergeant Donnie Dixon was killed in action during his second tour of duty in Iraq. “Days before he was killed, Staff Sergeant Dixon was wounded during a suicide bombing,” said Colonel Sutherland. “Like always, he was by my side. Staff Sergeant Dixon was anxious to be returned to duty so he could get back in the fight with his team. That was the type of soldier he was. It was that devotion he displayed on a regular basis that provides me faith.”

His friend and fellow NCO, Staff Sergeant Whitaker, summed up the legacy of Staff Sergeant Donnie Dixon in a few words: “Some people come into our lives and quietly go. Others stay forever and leave footprints on our hearts. That’s what Staff Sergeant Dixon did for me, and we will always carry on his legacy.”

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The Muster: Dixon Center Blog

The Muster: Dixon Center Blog

A muster in the military is an assembly of troops, particularly for inspection. Here at Dixon Center we have weekly musters to gather our team together to discuss important projects, generate new ideas, and check in. This “muster” mentality is also at the very heart of our mission; engaging organizations and communities together to better connect with veterans and military families seeking meaningful employment, education, housing, and overall wellness.

This idea spawned our newest communications medium, our online blog, The Muster. This blog is intended as a space to share our new projects, our thoughts on leadership in our communities, our ongoing efforts to enable our partners and network, and more about Dixon Center and our team with you, our partners, our veterans and your families. As Dixon Center grows, we never lose sight of our mission to reach and lift up our nation’s service members, veterans, and their families. As a hub for ideas, we seek to provide and promote thought leadership throughout our growing network of strategic partners who continue to serve these populations. The Muster will be filled with useful information regarding these resources.

Ours is a recognized and visible network and voice for military and veteran services. Dixon Center has reached more than 700 communities and over one million veterans and military families across all 50 states since our genesis in 2010. In partnership with our network, we bring together people, resources, and expertise to transform lives.

Chairman, Retired US Army Colonel David Sutherland named Dixon Center in recognition of Army Staff Sergeant Donnie Dixon, killed while on patrol in Iraq. SSG Dixon’s sacrifices and those of the wife and children he left behind embody the Army motto, “This We’ll Defend,” a creed that powers our efforts to support all our nation’s veterans. Our team is comprised of individuals who have served or who personally understand the commitment and sacrifice of those who do and their families. We understand, through these experiences and from our many encounters and conversations with veterans across the county, the challenges associated with supporting families during service as well as transitioning to civilian living following military separation. We appreciate the various obstacles all veterans must overcome to find meaningful employment after service, continuing education to increase their access to challenging careers, overall health and wellness, and stable, clean, and comfortable housing.

Dixon Center, along with our parent organization, Fedcap, will continue to seek opportunities though our partnerships and network to best serve our nation’s service members, veterans, and their families so they may succeed in the communities where they live. We hope you will connect with us in those efforts.

Welcome, once again to The Muster. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or subscribe to our weekly e-blasts.

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Investing in A New Model for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

Investing in A New Model for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

Even though veterans make up only eight percent of the U.S. population, they are twice as likely to own a business as their civilian counterparts. In fact, close to 2.5 million businesses in the United States boast a majority ownership by veterans, representing nine percent of all U.S. businesses.

There’s a reason for this. Underneath their desire to be entrepreneurs and run their own operations lies a steely determination to succeed. In a corporate world where dynamics are ever-changing, a veteran’s training and experience translates to drive, focus and the ability to just “do.”

Roberto Barragan, president and CEO of VEDC, a Community Development Financial Institution, believes that small businesses are driving the economic revitalization of our country. Since 1976, VEDC has assisted more than 108,000 businesses in creating and retaining more than 200,000 jobs, opening more than 2,050 new businesses, and graduating over 3,400 individuals from Entrepreneurial Training Programs. VEDC has also provided more than $400 million in direct and guaranteed lending to small businesses across the Nation.

Two years ago, VEDC received funding to conduct a study on veteran-owned small businesses with the end goal being the design of a small business loan program specific to veterans. Rather than simply put a “veteran-friendly” banner on a program and provide a discount on fees, VEDC dug into the realities facing veterans who own small businesses, which led to a realization that there needed to be a change in underwriting criteria.

Barragan explains that many veterans show weakened cash flow because of deployment, which also means credit card balances may be high and collateral may simply not exist. The traditional bank loan program would deny these applicants rather than working with the credit and cash realities of veterans.

As a first step toward building its veteran lending program, VEDC expanded its underwriting to examine not just cash, collateral and credit but also the operator. “For many vets, there is a dream,” says Barragan, “And it’s our job to make it happen.” VEDC views the creation and expansion of small business as a viable alternative for this population.

It’s an alternative with a risk, but one that VEDC estimates has a 95 percent success rate. The typical loss history at a bank averages two percent; community-based lending can run as high as 10 percent; and microlending sees loss histories as high as 25 percent.

Over 20 years, VEDC has packaged or directly lent $400 million; of that, five percent has been with veteran-owned businesses. In the company’s experience, veterans have a higher propensity to pay back their loans and higher sense of duty of obligations. As Barragan describes it, “They don’t walk away from debt easily.”

Russ Grant personifies that line of thinking. The former service member opened his own bar and restaurant in Chicago called Parts & Labor. He put a lot of his own money into it, and VEDC financed the rest. The burgers and drinks favorite is going into its third year in business and now boasts a sister restaurant, the cash-only pizza and beer hangout The Boiler Room.

In addition to revisiting its underwriting practices for veterans, VEDC desired a better understanding of the business from the veterans’ perspectives. “We know how to lend and reach into underserved communities but we needed an assist on this particular population,” said Barragan.

In 2012, UBS partnered with VEDC to expand its lending nationally and deploy $35 million in UBS lines of credit. The global finance leader also connected VEDC to the expertise of Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services for guidance on the best ways to deliver a program that will set veterans up for entrepreneurial success.

Dixon Center, for example, encouraged VEDC to include robust technical assistance and business education on topics such as reading a ledger, developing a marketing plan, or risk assessment and planning.

Barragan questions why more financial institutions aren’t focused on veteran-owned small businesses. With an increasing number of returning veterans, VEDC sees an obligation to enable the successful reintegration of veterans into communities.

“Partnerships between organizations as varied as UBS, VEDC and Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services are coming up with solutions that might make the difference,” says Barragan, who will be holding a roundtable in Chicago July 13 with veteran service organizations in advance of the VEDC program launch this fall. “That’s the need. That’s our vision.”

This article was originally published on HuffPost on July 11, 2016. 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/investing-in-a-new-model_b_10927278