Honoring Veterans: New Partnership Enhances Health of San Diego Homeless Veterans

SAN DIEGO, CA, November 7, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Today, an army of 30 volunteers from Bank of America will converge on the Hawley Veterans Services Center to give back to those who served our country. The volunteers will complete a landscape beautification project which will serve as the launch to a new partnership with Volunteers of America, Southwest, Bank of America and CBS EcoMedia which will enhance the health and wellbeing of homeless veterans with disabilities.

Thanks to the generous financial support from Bank of America, contributed in partnership with EcoMedia, a weekly medical clinic will be established to enhance healthcare for veterans in Volunteers of America, Southwest’s Hawley Veterans Services Center. Up to 20 veterans with disabilities are housed in the program where they can remain for up to two years and receive supportive services to return to self-sufficiency. The weekly medical clinic, conducted by a staff physician and nurse, will include wellness checks, medication management and other healthcare services. The project will improve the continuity of the care and advance the veterans on their path to stabilized physical and mental health.  “We are grateful for this opportunity and excited about the impact of this project.  It is a tragedy to realize that every three days in San Diego a veteran attempts suicide. Those who have valiantly served our country are desperately needing our care and support right now- it is only with the help from community partners like Bank of America and EcoMedia, we are able to advance our life changing work with veterans” said Gerald McFadden, President/CEO Volunteers of America, Southwest. 

“Our military men and women have made tremendous sacrifices in times of need for our nation. Hawley Veteran’s Service Center honors those sacrifices as they return home as veterans who, in turn, find themselves in need,” said Rick Bregman, San Diego market president, Bank of America. “The improvements we’re making to the property are just one of many ways Bank of America and its San Diego employees give back to these brave men and women as they transition back into civilian life and create economic self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.”

Since March 2012, Volunteers of America has partnered with EcoMedia, a division of CBS, to identify and build underfunded environmental improvement projects in low-income and subsidized housing developments nationwide. CBS EcoMedia uses advertising to support tangible, positive community projects by selling ads to companies and using a portion of the funds collected for community projects with partnering organizations like Volunteers of America that have environmental, wellness or education projects in need of support.

“It’s an honor to express how deeply grateful we are to the men and women who serve our country, especially when they find themselves in times of need,” said Paul Polizzotto, President and Founder, CBS EcoMedia. “Thanks to Bank of America’s funding, volunteering efforts and commitment to improving the quality of people’s lives in the communities it serves, local homeless veterans will have the support and care they deserve to live stable, secure lives.”

EVENT DETAILS

When: Thursday, November 7, 2013      Time: 2:00 – 4:00pm (brief program and project kick-off at 2pm)

Location: 9980 Hawley Rd El Cajon, CA 92021

Interview Opportunities:

• Volunteers of America, Southwest President/CEO, Gerald McFadden
• Bank of America San Diego Market President, Rick Bregman
• Medical clinic physician Dr. Joshua MD, MBA- Senior Medical Officer, Healthcare Reform Tri-City Medical Center
• Hawley Veterans Services Center Case Manager, former Marine and Purple Heart recipient, Demarcus Reed

About Volunteers of America, Southwest
Volunteers of America, Southwest inspires hope through its ministry of service by providing individuals and families with the tools they need to improve their quality of life. The organization operates 28 human service programs in the areas of education and social development of young children, treatment and rehabilitation, housing and aging services. Each year, nearly 13,000 lives are changed through our services. Programs are located in San Diego, Imperial, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. To learn more visit us online at www.voa-swcal.org.

About Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. We serve approximately 51 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,200 retail banking offices and approximately 16,200 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users and more than 14 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE:BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

About CBS EcoMedia Inc.
At EcoMedia, we're propelled by the desire to create positive social change; that's been our mission since we founded the company in 2002. In 2010, after successfully partnering with CBS on a wide range of environmental projects, EcoMedia became the newest addition to the CBS Corporation portfolio, exponentially scaling our reach across television, radio, interactive, publishing and outdoor media.

Through our patent-pending EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd programs, an innovative twist on traditional advertising, advertisers are able to support much-needed local projects which in turn creates jobs, saves taxpayer money and improves the quality of life in communities nationwide. In the process, we’re fundamentally altering the advertising landscape, elevating the ordinary, traditional commercial – and media, in general – into a catalyst for tangible, quantifiable social change. Please visit ecomediacbs.com, like us at facebook.com/EcoMediaCBS or follow us at Twitter.com/EcoMediaCBS.

By participating in EcoMedia’s EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd advertising programs, EcoMedia’s advertisers agree to provide funding for projects we believe will have a beneficial effect upon the environment, health and/or education within local communities. EcoMedia’s advertising programs are not certification programs nor are the EcoAd, WellnessAd or EducationAd logos seals of approval. EcoMedia does not in any way certify, endorse or make any representations about EcoMedia program advertisers, their products or services.