Mission

hen asked to participate in the DE&I effort here at Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana, I was honored, yet felt a significant responsibility to represent the Retail team. This committee is vitally important for our current and future team members, as well as our customers, in a very diverse and sometimes emotional dialogue around access, opportunity, and inclusion for all. We have an incredible opportunity to ensure our organization, our retail store team members, and leaders represent the communities in which we do business and extend our mission efforts. I want to be part of this DE&I team that…

I became a DE&I Ambassador because I genuinely love people. Most importantly, I love seeing people thrive and being part of their process of change. One of the biggest ways we can ensure this change takes place is by seeing people as individuals and actively listening as they identify what their needs are. Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana does a great job of listening, not only to clients, but to staff as well. When I first joined the VOA family, I was excited about working with the Veteran population because my father was a veteran. He always spoke so…

Operation Backpack® is a Volunteers of America signature program that helps local kids reach their full potential and thrive as they start the school year. Community members like you rally together to donate backpacks and school supplies to give kids the confidence and tools they need to succeed and dream big.

In June, we recognize PTSD Awareness Month. People living with PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, have experienced or witnessed a life-threatening or terrifying event. It’s a mental health condition that can cause flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event. Not just this month, but every month, it’s important to understand how to support and care for those living with PTSD.

In recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, we checked in with Jennifer Martinez MSW, LISW-S, Vice President of Behavioral Health Operations (Ohio), to understand the kinds of things we should be thinking about to spread awareness and support our own mental health. She also shared how our organizational approach to helping all people at Volunteers of America is designed to support mental health, too.