FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
November 13, 2014 Marc Schaefer (858) 880-5653
ABLE-DISABLED ADVOCACY SELECTED AS ONE OF SEVEN NATIONAL RECIPIENTS OF 2014 “SEAL OF DISTINCTION” AWARDS FROM ACTIVISION’S CALL OF DUTYTM ENDOWMENT
Selected Organizations Demonstrate Best-in-Class Practices and Results in Placing Veterans
in High Quality Careers
San Diego, California (November 6, 2014) – The Call of Duty Endowment today announced that it has selected Able-Disabled Advocacy (A-DA) as one of seven new, best-in-class veterans service organizations nationwide to receive its 2014 Seal of Distinction Award, which comes with an initial $30,000 grant, along with operational advice and support, and the opportunity to apply for additional restricted funding to encourage further growth. This year alone, organizations supported by the Endowment have placed more than 5,000 veterans in jobs at a cost-per-placement of under $1,000 – less than one third the cost of federal government programs.
For four decades, A-DA has worked to provide veterans, especially those with disabilities, opportunities to advance their education, build their self-esteem and “grow” their financial resources by advancing their participation in the workforce. A-DA works with over 500 employers each year; and since 1991, their 30-member Business Advisory Council has provided them with technical guidance and other programmatic support. As a result of A-DA’s extensive employer outreach efforts, San Diego’s business community is far more informed regarding the workforce abilities of the individuals that they serve. Unlike many other San Diego Veteran-serving organizations, all vocational training in Information Technology occupations resulting in professional credentials and high paying jobs, along with the delivery of a comprehensive array of “wrap-around” services are conducted in-house at A-DA, rather than being referred out to others; thereby improving client motivation, engagement and program completion. This practice also reinforces A-DA’s excellence in providing a comprehensive array of “client-centered” case management services resulting in improved organizational accountability and programmatic successes. A-DA has also received state, national and global acclaim for their work in advancing individuals and veterans with disabilities in the workforce through the use of technology from the Governor of California, President of the United States and Microsoft Corporation.
“We are thrilled to receive this recognition from the Call of Duty Endowment, whose Seal of Distinction has come to represent the gold standard for veterans service organizations,” said Elaine Cooluris, A-DA’s executive director. “The Endowment’s support will enable us to strengthen and expand services that will help veterans find the career opportunities they need and deserve.”
“The Call of Duty Endowment is proud to offer its support Able-Disabled Advocacy, which is a model for how to deliver employment services to veterans in a smart and cost-effective manner,” said Dan Goldenberg, executive director of the Call of Duty Endowment. “Working with Deloitte, we’ve created an extremely rigorous process for evaluating veterans’ organizations to ensure that only those with the strongest track records of impact receive funding. We owe it to America’s veterans to hold all non-profits in this space to the highest standards.”
Applicants for the Seal of Distinction had to meet a number of rigorous criteria to be considered, including opening their books to provide extensive documentation about their results in placing veterans in jobs. A sample of the metrics assessed included number of placements made, average cost per placement, average starting salary, retention rate, and a variety of organizational financial health indicators. All qualified applications were initially reviewed and evaluated by the Call of Duty Endowment’s Board of Advisors. Finalists were then independently assessed on a pro bono basis by Deloitte and approved by the Endowment’s Board of Directors.
The Call of Duty Endowment launched the Seal of Distinction in August 2013. It awarded $1.2 million in total grants last year and will award more than $4 million in grants this year to the seven 2013 Seal of Distinction winners.
About Able-Disabled Advocacy:
Founded in 1975 in San Diego, CA, Able-Disabled Advocacy’s (A-DA) mission is “to provide vocational training, life skills improvement and educational advancement opportunities for youth, adults and Veterans with disabilities and to assist them in finding employment and overcoming barriers to personal and financial self-sufficiency.” A-DA serves almost 1,000 individuals a year at their four training sites; and since inception they have placed over 15,000 people into employment – approximately 5,000 have been veterans.
About the Call of Duty Endowment:
The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit, public benefit corporation conceived by Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. The Endowment seeks to help organizations that provide job placement services for veterans. For more information about the Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org.
ACTIVISION and CALL OF DUTY are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.
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