Chicago Veterans and Roll Call Chicagoland have recently announced a merger, creating a more substantial and impactful organization dedicated to serving veterans in the Chicagoland area. The announcement was made at our April Roll Call Chicagoland event in downtown Chicago at the Edelman building. Over 60 job seekers and 40 mentors registered for the event which was sponsored by Pepsi Co. and Edelman, who have strongly supported the veteran community for years.

“We have been talking about more nonprofits who share similar missions to merge for years, and now we are extremely excited to see it finally happen,” said Kevin Barszcz, founder of Chicago Veterans. “I have been a fan of Roll Call for years, the amazing team and program they have built and the number of veterans they helped get started with their careers. This merger will allow us to share our networks, utilize the Chicago Veterans platform and no longer compete for the same resources.”

The merger will also improve our collective impact by pooling resources, expertise, and shared networks to create a stronger, more unified entity. This will result in better services delivered to our veterans, improved efficiency and the greater ability to help advance their professional careers. By eliminating redundancies and streamlining operations, we can now direct more efforts toward our shared mission and operate more effectively and sustainably. With the help of dedicated sponsors like Pepsi Co. and Edelman, will have the resources and backing needed to make a meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of veterans in the Chicagoland area.

Roll Call will still operate normally with the same leadership team and keep the name. They will now just be under the umbrella of Chicago Veterans which will allow them to focus and what they do best, help connect veterans to employers and mentors to advance their professional careers. Chicago Veterans will provide the marketing platform, tools and operational assistance allowing Roll Call to solely focus on their mission.

“This merger is the epitome of what two strong organizations that share a common goal of serving veterans can do when they join forces to generate a greater impact to the military-connected community then the sum of their parts would have made,” said Justin Miller, Vice Chair of Operations for Roll Call Chicagoland. “Personally, this merger validates the work I’ve been doing for nearly 10 years now as a veteran knowing that the best investments, to me, is in my fellow veteran. This merger means we’ll be able to continue to invest in our community for many years to come!”

The merger between Chicago Veterans and Roll Call Chicagoland is a historic moment in the Chicagoland veteran community. It is a testament to the power of collaboration and the enduring commitment of non-profits to serve those who have served our country.