Fundraising gala raises funds for Hire Heroes USA to support creating job opportunities for U.S. military veterans and their spouses
Continuum Veterans Foundation, which helps returning troops find jobs in the IT industry, raised $30,000 for Hire Heroes USA at its first annual Gala on Thursday night, with the help of Pittsburgh Steelers legend and Army veteran Andy Russell.
Held at Pittsburgh’s famous Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum, the Continuum Veterans Foundation Fundraising Gala raised funds through ticket sales, as well as a silent auction. The event brought together150 benefactors for Hire Heroes USA, a Georgia-based organization dedicated to creating job opportunities for U.S. military veterans and their spouses through employment training and corporate engagement.
“As a proud veteran of the United States Army, I didn’t hesitate to offer my support in this event’s cause for veterans,” said Andy Russell. “Opening the door for career opportunities is crucial to help our veterans support themselves and their families, after serving our country with honor. I’m glad that we were able to raise $30,000 this evening to support Hire Heroes’ impressive efforts to create job opportunities for our veterans.”
“We’re grateful for the support of Michael George and the Continuum Veterans Foundation in raising $30,000 at this event,” said Brian Stann, President and CEO of Hire Heroes USA. “In 2016 alone, our organization succeeded in helping 6,320 veterans get hired. The funds raised this evening will go towards supporting more of these services throughout 2017 and beyond, as we look to empower more veterans and their spouses with the skills and opportunities they need for success in the workplace.”
“The Continuum Veterans Foundation was founded out of our company’s belief that veterans bring incredible value to the workforce,” said Robert Kocis, Director of the Continuum Veterans Foundation and Chief Revenue Officer, Continuum. “We are proud that our first gala in Pittsburgh has been a success, and we’re grateful to Andy Russell, John Banaszak and Brian Stann for joining us this evening to honor the service of our veterans. We also want to thank all those who came out in support of the cause this evening and helped raise $30,000 for veterans entering the workforce with Hire Heroes USA.”
For more information on the Continuum Veterans Foundation, visit cvf.continuum.net.
About Hire Heroes USA
Founded in 2005, Hire Heroes USA is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga. Hire Heroes USA is dedicated to transforming military service into civilian success for US military veterans and their spouses through personalized employment training. Hire Heroes USA has gained national recognition for its comprehensive continuum of veteran career transition assistance, resulting in more than 60 confirmed hires a week in 2015. For more information, visit www.hireheroesusa.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About Continuum Veterans Foundation
Continuum Veterans Foundation is a nonprofit organization providing financial support to local and national charities that focus on helping veterans find jobs in IT. The Foundation was established in 2012 by Continuum®, the technology industry’s only channel-exclusive provider of fully integrated managed IT services solutions, directing a portion of the revenue from its Help Desk offerings to select nonprofit veteran organizations. For more information, visit: http://cvf.continuum.net/.
About Guest Speaker Andy Russell
Charles Andrew “‘Andy” Russell (born October 29, 1941) is a former All- Pro linebacker who played his entire 12-year National Football League (NFL) career for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football for, and earned a degree in economics from, the University of Missouri. After playing for the Steelers his rookie season in 1963 and just missing out on playing the Chicago Bears for the NFL Championship, Russell temporarily left the team for the Army to fulfill ROTC commitments from Missouri. He was stationed in Germany for two years, achieving the rank of second lieutenant, and serving as an aide to a three-star general. He then returned to the Steelers in 1966, where he would spend the next 11 seasons.
He was an early member of Pittsburgh’s famed Steel Curtain defense, and was named the Steelers’ MVP in 1971. He made seven Pro Bowl appearances—in 1969 and from 1971 through 1976—and earned two Super Bowl rings in Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X. On December 27, 1975 he set the NFL playoff record for a returned touchdown–93 yards in a Three Rivers Stadium victory over the Baltimore Colts. Some have claimed it as the longest football play from scrimmage in time duration. In 2011, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Russell to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2011.
Coming from a business oriented family (his father was a senior executive with Monsanto Company), Russell has had great success off the field as a partner of Laurel Mountain in Pittsburgh, involved in municipal finance and investment banking.
