Operation Welcome Home
By Tiffany Summerlin
Operation Welcome Home ( OWH ) has been helping veterans find their calling in the civilian sector in North Central West Virginia since 2012 . From a veteran who needs assistance transitioning out of the military to one who has been out of the military for 30 years , OWH has been a consistent place to find assistance in landing a good job .
Photo by Tiffany and Jamie Summerlin .
According to the World Population Review , as of the latest 2022 data , West Virginia had the sixth highest per capita population of veterans in the nation . There are 7,435 per 100,000 citizens , for a total of 130,536 . Veterans are a unique and diverse population who are highly desired by employers for many reasons .
Everyone in West Virginia should be concerned that the number of veterans is declining . OWH has taken that statistic to heart and is working to provide a West Virginia that embraces veterans and provides a place for them and their families to work , play and grow to their best potential .
OWH wants to open doors for veterans to pursue their best life so they and their families can have a chance to give back to West Virginia through economic development and community enrichment .
The OWH Veterans Agriculture Training ( VAT ) Program is one way that OWH is providing a platform for veterans to excel . The program was provided flightline to get off the ground with a grant by the U . S . Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture . This grant has given OWH the opportunity to build and plant a high tunnel greenhouse . Along with the collaboration of the West Virginia University ( WVU ) Extension service , OWH created a comprehensive curriculum that can help a veteran interested in agriculture learn how to operate their own profitable business .
OWH is proud to be one of the few organizations entrusted with this mission , and the team is excited about the positive changes it can create for veterans . Agriculture has become popular for veterans in particular to supplement their income as well as reduce mental fatigue and improve productivity . Workshops are happening on a regular basis , and OWH is eager to have new participants join the program .
West Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Facilities
By Nita Hobbs
During the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic , we regularly thanked the essential workers who worked in restaurants and grocery stores despite the health risks . One potentially overlooked essential labor force during that time was the janitorial staff who ensured open and regularly sanitized West Virginia rest areas . If you traveled during the pandemic , you saw that many other states shut down this essential service .
Janitorial service at rest areas is merely one of the many offerings of the State Use Program . The West Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Facilities ( WVARF ) is a nonprofit whose goal is to give every individual with a disability the opportunity to have gainful employment . The WVARF works with community rehabilitation programs ( CRPs ) to provide services and commodities to state agencies that include janitorial work , shredding of secure documents , laundry services , water delivery , data imaging and temporary worker placement . In 2021 , 1,255 jobs were created and $ 7.7 million in wages were paid to individuals with disabilities throughout the state of West Virginia . As this income was reinvested into the state economy , it generated another $ 5.6 million in secondary output impacts , resulting in a total economic impact of $ 13.3 million in output in the West Virginia economy .
Job creation and economic stimulus are the most apparent benefits of the State Use Program , but with the support of CRPs , the WVARF can coordinate wrap around services for disabled individuals that may not have been available to them without access to this program . Such services include vocational evaluation , training , extended employment , job placement , supported employment and follow-up consultation .
As the labor force shortage continues to be felt across the state , the WVARF looks to expand the employment of individuals with disabilities beyond this program . Like West Virginia state agencies , commercial businesses and local municipalities find themselves in need of the services and commodities provided by the WVARF and CRPs . There is an increasing trend in contracting out those services that may have previously been provided in-house . Furthermore , the network of CRPs already active across the state will simplify coordinating and providing services to businesses that span across many regions or the entire state .
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE