Invest in America's Veterans Foundation - Florida Merchants Network

FMN Member Profile...

Years in Business: 1

Locations in Florida: Cape Coral

Number of Employees: NA

Director: Ralph A. Santillo

Affiliations:

Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce

Florida Merchants Network

Briefly: The Invest in America’s Veterans Foundation, is a non-profit organization founded and operated by veterans.

The foundation’s facility, located in two buildings at 3100-3108 Del Prado Blvd. (Del Prado Outlet Centers), is the hub of a very ambitious, multi-faceted mission.

Why we're different: OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The primary mission of Invest in America’s Veterans Foundation is to serve our Iraq-Afghanistan Veterans by giving them a “Head Start” in getting back in to the mainstream with the least resistance from the environment. The Foundation will offer a Roundtable format for them to discuss their needs and a venue to provide counseling in the primary areas of life.

The Foundation will create jobs when feasible and will place Veterans into jobs when achievable. We will work hand and hand with other Veterans’ organizations from every state to help to relocate Veterans and their families to Florida, Louisiana, Pennsylvania or Massachusetts if they have the desire to do so.

We believe that Veterans helping Veterans is a path to success. We will enlist Veterans from every generation to join us in this Campaign. Sharing their knowledge and experience will be critical to the rehabilitation of returning veterans.

Our commitment is to serve with Veterans from any generation. We offer a Roundtable of experts for all Veterans to sit with if they need assistance on housing, financial and career planning, education and business opportunities as well as Personal counseling.

We will help to preserve the memories of the Heroes of all wars.

Among the services offered at Invest in America's Veterans Foundation are an office center with free wi-fi, free use of computers, copiers, fax machines, and telephones for veterans seeking employment, education, training and contact with family and friends. Counseling and networking for similar needs will also be available, as will connection and guidance with finding a number of existing beneficial programs for veterans.

A conference space and an area for private, yet informal counseling are also available – all free of charge. A large social area with couches and several comfy recliners, lots of books and magazines and a big TV is provided for vets who may want to get together for chat, reading, watching a game or a movie. Among the plans are an occasional backyard bar-b-q, inexpensive breakfasts and lunches, a weekly pizza night and more. “It’s like a grown up version of the tree-house kind of place we had where we could hangout with our buddies when we were kids,” says Santillo.

IIAVF is also actively working to arrange vocational training and employment in areas such as personal care for veterans, and then pair those individuals together with vets that need care. The organization is even involved in housing accommodations that will bring both care-giver and recipient together.

A museum of sorts, where members and friends can share and display their service memorabilia is part of the facility. A new thrift shop on site will offer great bargains to the public and help fund the foundations services.