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Summer 2025 Development Update

Summer 2025 Development Update

While the Development team at Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services was able to enjoy some family time this summer, we were also diligent in our capacity building efforts and seeking new funding opportunities. Our summer highlights (from late May until today) include:

  • Memorial Day mailing to 350+ of our donors and friends
  • Meetings with eight new potential partners
  • Submitted 15 letters of inquiry or grant applications (four of which were collaborations with other partners) to various foundations
  • 35+ one-on-one conversations with individual donors and prospects
  • Attended six high profile conferences and partner events

We are deeply grateful for our partners, donors and supporters who made this summer so special.

Dixon Center supporting our partner, Soldier On, at a summer event.

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen

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Combining Projects to Better Link Resources

Combining Projects to Better Link Resources

Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services is combining two pillar projects to operationalize more resources for women veterans.

We are combining two projects into one, Operation Veteran Empowerment (OVE). Dixon Center is massing the number of resources from partner organizations. We are building capacity and making more resources available at the right place, at the right time, to better meet the evolving needs of veterans and their families.

Operation Veteran Empowerment is the result of combining two projects – Women Veterans Emergency Financial Assistance and the original Operation Veteran Empowerment. This single project will comprehensibly align with two important programs across two pillars, at once – Wellness and Basic Needs.

The exciting part of synchronizing these efforts holistically is that we are still prioritizing the needs of women affected by military service while expanding the scope to include all veterans while staying true to our services as a resource hub building capacity. To learn more, visit our OVE FAQ page.

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen

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A New Partnership, A Stronger Future

A New Partnership, A Stronger Future

On July 23rd, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services took a major step forward in our mission of ensuring veterans and their families thrive where they live, by forming a strategic partnership with Fastport, a recognized leader in workforce development, apprenticeships, and career navigation.

Pathway to Prosperity is a national initiative led by Dixon Center that connects transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses to training, credentials, and career opportunities that lead to family-sustaining employment.

The project is designed to eliminate barriers to meaningful work by building the capacity of organizations that align individuals with industry-recognized pathways and employer networks. Through our collaboration with Fastport, Pathway to Prosperity will expand its reach and effectiveness and will accelerate access to high-demand careers and create measurable, life-changing outcomes for veterans and their families across the country.

At Dixon Center, we believe no veteran should have to navigate the path alone. Through partnerships like this, we’re building bridges to opportunity and increasing the impact of organizations and programs that are making a difference in the lives of veterans and their families.

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen

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Save the Date – Annual Holiday Reception

Save the Date – Annual Holiday Reception

Save the Date
Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services
Annual Holiday Reception and Awards Ceremony

Tuesday Evening, December 9, 2025 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm EST
New York, NY

We wanted you to be the first to know: our signature annual gathering will return on December 9, 2025, at Civic Hall, The Bernard Goldstein Center and streamed live on Facebook.

Stay tuned for a full announcement in the months ahead! 

Sincerely, 

The Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services Team

About This Event

We use this time every year to thank our friends, families, supporters, and donors. Every year we recognize special individuals and organizations with our four awards:

The Eugene and Ruth Freedman Leadership Award

The Herbert and Carolyn Metzger Service Award

The Michael “Mick” Yauger Point Man Award

The Lou Lowenkron Commitment to Veterans Excellence Award

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen

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Reinforcing Our Message

Reinforcing Our Message

Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services recently shared our message of hope, strength, and flexibility as a guest on the Podcast, Hart and Hustle. On the Hart & Hustle Podcast, we talk about our passion for building capacity across the nation and our activities, projects, ideas and influence as they are linked to the evolving needs of our nation’s veterans and their families.

Primarily, Hart and Hustle is a nationally recognized podcast that highlights those who are in the process of the grind, overcoming hurdles, and building for a better future! Thank you, Hart and Hustle, for showcasing our work.

We welcome invitations to participate in discussions like these. The Center’s leadership pursues hundreds of opportunities to build public awareness, encourage community involvement, and promote the use of community-based services across the nation. Learn more on our Speaking Engagements landing page.

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen

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Learning and Collaboration

Learning and Collaboration

We are always pursuing business development opportunities. With this in mind, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services attended the 2025 National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) Conference in Washington, DC.
 
The conference theme, “Serving Those Who Served,” combined with the expertise of attendees from state workforce agencies and partner organizations, made it the perfect event to identify and nurture growth opportunities and to build strategic partnerships. 
 
During every engagement Dixon Center shared:

  • Inspiring stories of resilience and leadership.
  • New and innovative collaborations, pilot programs and platforms.
  • Our successful workforce development projects across the country.
  • Business development and growth opportunities with potential new partners.

These discussions of our capacity building and collaboration were the keys to a successful conference. We are looking forward to connecting our Programs and Services team to our new contacts as we pursue strategic partnerships.

Eileen Greenlay, 2nd from left in the back row, at the NASWAVets25 Conference, July 9-11, in DC.

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen

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13 Amazing Years

13 Amazing Years

On 13 July 2025 Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services will celebrate 13 years of impact. 

This is an exciting time for our team. It is the opportunity to double-down on our noble purpose: to make the lives of our veterans and their families better. This is the chance to build upon the success across our 3 pillars, 6 programs, and more than 550 projects over the past 13 years. 

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has recognized and supported our commitment throughout this continuing journey.

  • We Listen:  We know that the needs of our veterans are evolving, not disappearing.
  • We Collaborate:  We believe that every organization and individual can effectively integrate veterans and their families into their existing community-based programs.
  • We Adapt: We know that every veteran, military member, and their families are unique, and we respect and honor their differences by remaining flexible in our response.
  • We Respond: We work with others to develop and deploy solutions before problems become a crisis.
  • We Persevere:  We know the importance of never giving up on our veterans and their families to ensure they reach their full potential.
  • We are Transparent:  We are disciplined in our fiscal responsibility, with regular disclosures about financial and operational performance and impact.

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen

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Independence Day 2025

Independence Day 2025

Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services is ready for Independence Day Weekend. 

Over the Independence Day Weekend members of our team, and our families, will be participating in community and national celebrations. These include a naturalization ceremony at Mount Vernon, a boat parade in Maine, attending a veteran community gathering in South Carolina, volunteering at barbeques raising money for local veterans, precessions of colors, parades, concerts. What can you do?

  • Participate in a local community celebrations or visit your local Veteran Cemetery and pay your respects.
  • Share your photos and stories of your loved ones on our Dixon Center Facebook wall.
  • Join Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Service in making a Memorial and Honorary Tribute.
  • Plant a tree in honor of a member of your circle of friends or family that made the ultimate sacrifice.

As people start planning for the upcoming holiday weekend, please take time to reflect on the generations of men and women who have given everything for the freedoms we enjoy today.

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen

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Season 5, Service Before Self Podcast

Season 5, Service Before Self Podcast

Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services has just wrapped Episode 31 of the Service Before Self podcast, marking the midpoint of Season 5 of Dixon Center’s flagship series that presents in‑depth, solution‑focused conversations with veteran advocates, nonprofit leaders, and community innovators.

In Season 5, Dixon Center has uplifted veterans and their families by spotlighting practical, community-driven solutions. On February 12, 2025, we launched with an intimate conversation featuring Adam Marr, co‑host of Tango Alpha Lima and Director of Operations at the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition, where he candidly shared his transition story and highlighted pioneering efforts to expand veteran mental‑health access.

In early April, the spotlight turned to Steve Jordon and Chesley Michaels from the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program in Episode 29, Pathways to Citizenship. Steve and Chesley detailed how legal advocacy is opening pathways to citizenship and improving access to earned benefits for veterans.

Then, on May 16, we welcomed Ed Dennis, Executive Director of the Andy Quattlebaum & Blackwell Family Foundation in Episode 30, The Power of Legacy. Ed showcased how community nonprofits “punch above their weight” through research‑based services and unwavering advocacy for veterans and their communities.

Our next episode, Equine-Assisted Therapy and its Impact on Veteran Wellness, drops on July 2 and future episodes will continue our legacy of deploying our influence, ideas, and actions to enhance and increase the impact of organizations and individuals who share our noble purpose of making the lives of veterans and their families better.

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen

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“Stories of Service: A Public MediaConversation on Veterans’ Issues”

“Stories of Service: A Public MediaConversation on Veterans’ Issues”

Recently, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services attended Stories of Service: A Public Media Conversation on Veterans’ Issues in Washington, D.C.

The event, hosted by PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, brought together veterans, filmmakers, and congressional leaders to explore how public media is elevating the voices of those who have served.

The program highlighted three powerful initiatives: an excerpt from Make Peace or Die: Honor the  Fallen, StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative, and South Carolina’s ETV and Public Radio’s After Action—a series that sparks deep conversations on service, memory and healing.

Stacy Pearsall—a combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and champion of post-service storytelling—was recognized by Dixon Center for her work creating After Action.

Her leadership in developing the series gives voice to the veteran experience and demonstrates how authentic storytelling can help bridge the divide between military and civilian life.

This event demonstrated Dixon Center’s role as a resource hub of influence, ideas, and actions building capacity:

  • Providing strategic support to people, institutions, organizations, and communities, across the nation, who are serving veterans and their families.
  • Advocating for the importance of local storytelling and community-based veteran services.
  • Fostering, strengthening, and expanding community-based connections to veterans.
  • Elevating those that are serving as a recognized and visible network and voice for veterans and their families.

The stories shared throughout the evening reinforced Dixon Center’s core belief: when we amplify the voices of veterans through trusted platforms, we drive understanding, solutions, and impact at scale.

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Memorial Day – Reflect and Remember

“The selected lines from Laurence Binyon’s poem ‘For the Fallen’ honors sacrifice and serves as a reminder of the enduring respect and remembrance owed to fallen