Press RoomVeterans
U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh recognized Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s Veterans Services of the Carolinas as one of the 835 recipients of the 2022 HIRE Vets Medallion Award during a virtual award ceremony presented by U.S. Department of Labor.
ABCCM’s growing ministry Veterans Services of the Carolinas, that serves Veterans and their families, earned the ‘GOLD’ award for their dedication to both hiring and providing education and training employment services to Veterans experiencing homelessness.
The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act (HIRE Vets Act) Medallion Program is the only federal award program that recognizes employers who successfully recruit, hire, and retain veterans.
“Hiring Veterans is a core value at ABCCM which we are honored to share with small and large businesses across North Carolina,” says Reverend Scott Rogers, ABCCM Executive Director. “Veterans are already trained by the military to protect, to serve, and complete their mission which is what all employers are looking for to succeed in the marketplace. We enjoy training and equipping Veterans to work in careers of their choosing and glad when they choose work and serve with us.”
ABCCM joins 834 other companies from 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, who have shown a commitment to hiring veterans, but also ensuring that they have a long-term career and growth plan that uses the diverse skills they acquired through their military service. Recipients of the 2022 HIRE Vets Medallion Award meet rigorous employment and veteran integration
assistance criteria, including veteran hiring and retention percentages; availability of veteran-specific resources; leadership development for veterans; dedicated human resource efforts; and at times pay compensation and tuition assistance programs for veterans. More than 1,400 employers have earned a HIRE Vets Medallion Award since 2018.
Veterans Services of the Carolinas is a division of ABCCM and currently employs over 70 staff serving all 100 counties in North Carolina that supports our nation’s Veterans and their families with multiple programs that serve over 4,000 Veterans annually. Through direct programs; Housing, Employment and Training, Outreach, Call Center Service Coordination, and Suicide Prevention, VSC collaborates with community partners and faith communities to engage with Veterans and meet their critical needs.
“We are honored to have received this recognition,” Brandon Wilson, VSC Managing Director says. “With a blended approach to serving the Veterans community, we believe in a diverse team of non-Veterans and family members; however, our team also consists of 41% of Veterans that have worn the uniform. I know that this peer model approach has been instrumental in our ability to connect and serve our Military Connected communities with the highest level of care. As a grant recipient of two Homeless Veterans Re-Integration Programs from the VETS team we are grateful for the Department’s continued dedication to support community organizations serving our Veterans.”
About the HIRE Vets Medallion Program:
The HIRE Vets Medallion Award is awarded to businesses that demonstrate unparalleled commitment to attracting, hiring and retaining veterans. The 2023 HIRE Vets Medallion Award application period will open to employers on Jan. 31, 2023. For more information about the program and the application process, visit HIREVets.gov.
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More About ABCCM
ABCCM is church owned and volunteer driven by 300+ churches of all denominations and other faith groups. Through the work of volunteers serving as missionaries from those churches and the community; our ministries listen to each person. We offer grace, mercy and lovingkindness which leads to effective short-term and long-term solutions.
ABCCM has a great stewardship track record where 94¢ of every dollar donated goes into direct ministry to people in need, compared to the national average of 75%.
Loaves and Fishes: Thanks to the gifts of food, clothes, furniture, household items, medicine and volunteer time, every dollar given is multiplied, which adds $2.77 in direct help and services.
ABCCM offers dignity to all individuals and families in crisis regardless of race, religion, sex, nationality throughout Buncombe County North Carolina.
ABCCM Crisis Ministry – four locations
ABCCM Crisis Ministry served an average of 21,500 over the last three years, filling the gaps for families who cannot make ends meet, mostly by providing food and clothing along with nutritious emergency food boxes/bags. Emergency assistance funds provide utility assistance to keep the lights and water on; and rental assistance to help prevent families from eviction. ABCCM Sonrise Daily Bread provides hot meals from 11:30 to 1, Mon-Fri. at 1543 Patton Ave. The Crisis Ministry helps our neighbors meet the basic necessities of life.
ABCCM Medical Ministry
ABCCM offers the only free clinic so the uninsured have access to medical care, dental care and medicine. Those without insurance of any kind are served by two pharmacies that distributed about $2.7 million in prescriptions and about $2.8 million in medical/dental care, for an impact of $5.5 million in health care in Buncombe County.
ABCCM Jail Ministry
ABCCM Jail Ministry has trained chaplains who volunteers with Bible study opportunities in the Buncombe County Detention Center. On average there are 450 detainees behind the walls right in the heart of downtown Asheville. Volunteers also organize a library cart with paperback Bibles, religious materials and other books. Chaplaincy services offer comfort, peace and hope with detainees when families call about the deaths of loved ones and other tragedies and a wide range of other meaningful support for detainees, sheriff’s staff, and clergy in the community.
ABCCM – Transformation Village
ABCCM provides 100 beds of transitional housing and 6 beds for emergency shelter. Transforming lives is through four developmental phases called Steps to Success. These include stabilization with all the basic necessities provided; life skills training with many volunteer courses per month to choose from including Bible studies; education and professional training certifications that lead to living wage jobs; and reintegration that leads to permanent housing.We are honored to report that 8 out of 10 leave us with a living wage job and permanent housing.
ABCCM – VRQ (Veteran’s Restorations Quarters)
ABCCM provides 160 beds of transitional housing and 40 beds for emergency shelter and 50 units for permanent supportive housing for a total of 250 beds. Restoring lives is through four developmental phases called Steps to Success. These include stabilization, with all the basic necessities provided; life skills training, with many volunteer courses to choose from including Bible studies; education and professional training certifications that lead to living wage jobs; and reintegration that leads to permanent housing.We are honored to report that 8 out of 10 leave us with a living wage job and permanent housing.
ABCCM – VSC (Veterans Services of the Carolinas)
Serving Veterans with Hope, Healing, Honor and a Home.
ABCCM VSC provides services for Veterans and their families within all counties in North Carolina. ABCCM VSC offers Veterans Employment and Training Services (VETS) where 450 are trained and 80% are placed into living wage career level jobs. The VSC programs prevent homelessness for about 320 Veteran families a year. Veterans HOPE program outreaches to connect with the chronically homeless. Veterans Call Center responds to 2000 crisis calls a month, bringing resolution to most cases within 4 – 6 days. VSC is launching a new program to bring awareness and address veterans’ suicide with the implementation of community crisis response teams.
ABCCM – Recovery Living Ministry at Costello House
ABCCM provides men with a safe place to heal, develop life skills including recovery living strategies, good education and living wage jobs that lead to a permanent home. The Costello House campus offers a model of intentional community that brings true life transformation through spiritual formation with best practices in healthy emotional and recovery processes.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rev. Scott Rogers
Executive Director
Office: 828-398-6911
Email: scott.rogers@abccm.org