Disability:IN, the global non-profit advancing disability inclusion and equality in business, has received a $150,000 grant from USAA to help increase employment opportunities for veterans, including those with disabilities.

USAA, a Disability:IN corporate partner, provided the grant to enable veteran outreach in the following ways:

• Veterans can apply for Disability:IN’s NextGen Leader Initiative, which helps college students and recent graduates connect with Fortune 1000 companies for mentorship, networking and job opportunities. Applicants who are selected to the program receive over 100 hours of mentorship and professional development along with one-to-one opportunities to network and interview with leading inclusive brands.
• Disability:IN will host a Veteran’s Recruiting Event open to the public on Monday, November 15 at 5:00 pm EST featuring a panel of veteran leaders from corporate America.

Additionally, Disability:IN certifies Veteran-Owned Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (V-DOBEs) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (SDV-DOBEs).

“Veterans can raise a company’s workforce to the next level in many areas, such as leadership, teamwork, subject matter expertise, and global perspectives. We’re honored to be working with USAA to connect veterans with a disability, whether it is service-related or not, to empower veterans in their lives after military service and ultimately build an inclusive economy where people with disabilities participate fully and meaningfully,” said Jill Houghton, President and CEO, Disability:IN.

“We are incredibly proud to support Disability:IN and all the work that they do for our veteran communities,” said Justin Schmitt, assistant vice president of Corporate Responsibility at USAA. “Our veterans deserve our support and advocacy, and the programming through Disability:IN helps to make an impact for many.”

Jackson Dalton, a U.S. Marine veteran, sustained a life-altering injury during service and founded Black Box Safety, an occupational health and safety company that helps companies obtain safety equipment and adopt frontline-worthy safety protocols. His business recently won Disability:IN’s Pitch Perfect Challenge with a grand prize of $10,000.

“The SDV-DOBE certification allows us to connect with corporations that value supplier diversity. In addition, our certification has connected us to a community of diversely owned businesses, like V-DOBEs and SDV-DOBEs, that face similar challenges,” said Jackson Dalton, President and Founder, Black Box Safety.

For veterans with a service-connected disability, fewer than half (48.6%) participate in the labor force, according to the US Labor Department. This percentage drops further if the veteran’s disability rating, as determined by the Department of Veteran Affairs, is 60% or higher.

About Disability:IN

Disability:IN is the global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business. More than 400 corporations trust Disability:IN to activate and achieve disability inclusion across their enterprise and in the broader corporate mainstream. Through the world’s most comprehensive disability inclusion benchmarking; best-in-class conferences and programs; and expert counsel and engagement, Disability:IN works with leading businesses to create long-term business and societal impact. For more information visit http://disabilityin.org

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