Proceeds from gala, held in Pittsburgh on April 20, will benefit 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, has announced that it will hold its first fundraising gala on April 20, 2017 with Pittsburgh Steelers legend and Army Veteran Andy Russell attending as keynote speaker. Held at the famous Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Pittsburgh, PA, the gala will benefit Georgia-based Hire Heroes USA, an organization dedicated to creating job opportunities for U.S. military veterans and their spouses through employment training and corporate engagement.
In 2016 alone, Hire Heroes USA succeeded in helping 6,320 veterans get hired by providing services to 1,487 transition workshop participants, creating 13,495 final resumes, working with 14,872 new clients and conducting 123,724 career counseling sessions. The funds raised at April’s gala will go towards supporting more of these services throughout 2017 and beyond, as Hire Heroes USA looks to empower more veterans and their spouses with the skills and opportunities they need for success in the workplace.
Andy Russell, the gala’s keynote speaker, is best-known for his 12-year career as linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers and was the team’s MVP in 1971. Russell made seven pro Bowl appearances and has two Super Bowl championships to his name at Super Bowl IX and X. His passion for veterans’ causes is borne of his own service in the United States Army: after his rookie year at the Steelers, Russell served as a Lieutenant in Germany from 1964-65.
The gala is being organized entirely by volunteers from Continuum, as part of the company’s support for veterans. Through the Continuum Veterans Foundation, employees donate 20 hours a year of paid company time to various veterans causes, including the Yellow Ribbon Girls project that helps to purchase, wrap and fill boxes for veterans overseas.
“Hire Heroes USA is able to fulfill our mission because of the support of loyal, generous donors like the Continuum Veterans Foundation,” said Nathan Smith, Chief Operating Officer of Hire Heroes USA. “As we grow to better meet the demand of transitioning military members, veterans and their spouses, Continuum has increased their support of Hire Heroes USA beyond a financial donation to include increasing awareness among their partners and challenging them to help transform military service into civilian success, from hiring veterans and spouses, to donating and fundraising on our behalf. We look forward to an ever growing collaboration with Continuum and thank all those who support the Continuum Veterans Foundation.”
“We are proud to organize our first gala in Pittsburgh in support of Hire Heroes USA,” said Robert Kocis, CRO of Continuum & Board Member of the Continuum Veterans Foundation. “We established the Continuum Veterans Foundation in recognition of the service that our veterans have given to our country, and I can speak on behalf of all Continuum employees when I say that we are honored to support our veterans’ pursuit of outstanding employment across the United States.”
The gala will be on Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 6pm at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. Tickets are available for purchase and donations can be made at https://www.biddingforgood.com/CVF.
Companies and individuals who wish to sponsor the event can contact Michele Dymkoski at the Continuum Cranberry Twp. Office at 724-720-9000 or email GalaDonations@Continuum.net.
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.
Russell is the author of two books: A Steeler Odyssey and An Odd Steelers Journey.