Blog Post

IAVA and Robin Hood Announce Parntership
Posted by Megan Hemler on January 16

Robin Hood Announces $200,000 Grant to IAVA to Support New York City Veterans

 Investment will connect 1,000 IAVA members with critical health, education, employment, community, legal and public resources

NEW YORK (Dec. 19, 2012) -- Robin Hood, New York’s largest poverty-fighting organization, announced today that it has awarded a $200,000 grant to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America for a program to connect 1,000 New York City veterans with critical health, education, employment, community, public benefits and legal resources.

The groundbreaking program is funded through Robin Hood’s Veterans’ Initiative Fund, which has given more than $5 million in grants to 19 different programs. 


“Many of the over 12,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in New York City are in need of critical resources and guidance,” IAVA founder and CEO Paul Rieckhoff said. “Now, thanks to Robin Hood’s generous donors, IAVA will have the ability to connect the New Greatest Generation with best-in-class service providers.”

Over the next year, IAVA’s three new case managers will work one-on-one with members and their families to match them to the programs they need to successfully transition home, such as welfare, food stamps, Medicaid and Medicare.

IAVA’s specialized education casework manager will guide veterans and their families toward high quality educational opportunities available through the New GI Bill. This caseworker, who is a Post-9/11 veteran, will also work to ensure that veterans avoid predatory for-profit schools and will assist veterans who already attended such schools to find a new path to career success.

This pilot program will also create a model that can be replicated and scaled by other cities nationwide.

“We applaud Robin Hood for investing in new veterans and call on other community organizations to do the same for the other 2.5 million veterans across the country,” Rieckhoff added.


“IAVA does a terrific job of helping to connect veterans in need to desperately needed resources,” said Eric Weingartner, managing director of Robin Hood. “Thanks to the support of Robin Hood’s generous donors, IAVA will be able to expand their New York City programming to meet the immediate needs of the men and women who sacrificed so much for our country.  We’re delighted to partner with IAVA at this critical time.”

You can find a complete list of Robin Hood-funded veterans’ programs at http://www.robinhood.org/veterans-initiative .

The Veterans’ Initiative Fund has connected veterans and their families to essential services throughout New York City in the areas of jobs, housing, healthcare and education.

About Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
Headquartered in New York City, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is the nation's first and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, has more than 200,000 Member Veterans and civilian supporters nationwide. IAVA recently received the highest rating - four-stars - from Charity Navigator, America's largest charity evaluator.

About Robin Hood
Since 1988, Robin Hood has held steadfast to a single mission: fight poverty in New York City. We find, fund and create programs and schools that generate meaningful results for families in New York’s poorest neighborhoods. We work closely with more than 200 organizations to help them reach their full potential and perform rigorous assessments to ensure accountability. In addition, Robin Hood’s board of directors pays all administrative, fundraising and evaluation costs, so 100% of your donation goes directly to organizations helping New Yorkers in need.

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