This past year has been a testament to the power of community and the unwavering commitment from our volunteers and partners who support the great work we do here at Chicago Veterans. When we reflect on the year that was, we are reminded of the extraordinary impact that can be achieved when a community comes together to support a cause they care about.

For the past year, we (Chicago Veterans) have been operating without our Executive Director, Karen Hernandez (our only full-time employee), who was deployed to the Middle East with the U.S Army. We faced a unique challenge: to still run the organization and offer our programs and services without someone managing the day-to-day operations. There was a significant void we had to fill, from providing resource navigation for those contacting us via phone calls, emails, and messages, as well as continuing to host events, workshops, and activities for our community members. However, challenges often reveal the true strength of a community, and ours rose to the occasion in ways that inspired us all. With our Executive Director stationed abroad, our volunteers and community members rallied together with an unshakeable determination to keep our mission alive.

Volunteers, many of whom were veterans or had close ties to the military, stepped into leadership roles, determined to continue providing the same events and support to our veteran community. From hosting informative workshops to organizing social events, they demonstrated an unyielding commitment to our cause.

During this past year, we not only hosted our Ruck March, Liberty Calls, educational workshops, and provided resource navigation, but we also expanded our programs and services by implementing three new recurring events that have had a profound impact on our veterans and community members.

We introduced our Women Veteran events, creating a space where women veterans can feel seen, heard, and valued. By providing a supportive and inclusive environment, these events help women veterans connect with each other, receive the support they need, and make their voices heard in the veteran community and beyond. Over the past year, we hosted over six Women Veteran Events, connecting over 80 women veterans, many of whom had never attended a military event in the past. Veterans who once felt isolated have found a network of understanding peers.

We also merged with Roll Call Chicagoland which is now a program within Chicago Veterans. Roll Call Chicago is an Employment Readiness Program that connects employers directly with veterans and military-connected families, as well as educates Employment Resource Groups on the importance and value of hiring from our military community.

We launched our Latina Veterans Roundtable Events consisting of a series of panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities. These events bring together Latina Veterans from a range of backgrounds and experiences to share their stories, experiences, discuss common challenges and successes, and build a supportive community of Latina Veterans. Chicago has an extremely diverse veteran community, and these events allow us to better understand the needs of our veterans.

Our journey over the past year has taught us that the spirit of community knows no bounds. To our dedicated volunteers, community members, and especially our Executive Director, who helped lay the framework that our volunteers and team can build on, we extend our deepest gratitude. Your selfless actions and countless hours you have put in have not only helped veterans navigate the challenges they face but have also reminded us all of the incredible change that can be achieved when a community stands united.

As our Executive Director returned from her deployment, she was met with a community that had not only sustained the organization in her absence but had elevated it to new heights. The events, programs, and activities that transpired over the year were a manifestation of her leadership’s enduring impact. By empowering her team, she had unwittingly sowed the seeds of empowerment within the community.

The Chicago White Sox gave U.S. Army Major Karen Hernandez a hero’s welcome and helped her surprise her son, Jayden, after a year-long deployment in the Middle East. We are all thankful to have our Executive Director back—welcome home!

Video the Full Video here: https://www.facebook.com/WhiteSox/videos/763379078781320