Operation Second Chance Inc

OSC'S MISSION IS: WE ARE PATRIOTIC CITIZENS COMMITTED TO SERVING OUR WOUNDED, INJURED AND ILL COMBAT VETERANS. WE SERVE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND IDENTIFYING AND SUPPORTING IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND INTERESTS. WE ARE DEDICATED TO PROMOTING AWARENESS OF THE MANY SACRIFICES MADE BY OUR ARMED FORCES. THE PROPOSED VISTA PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES FOCUS AREA. THE VISTA PROJECT WILL SEEK TO PROVIDE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH SUPPORTS AND EXPERIENCES TO IMPROVE THEIR OVERALL WELL-BEING, INCLUDING PREPARATION FOR THE WORKPLACE OR VOLUNTEERING AND EXPECTS TO BENEFIT APPROXIMATELY 400 VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. FOUR VISTA MEMBERS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT BY PERFORMING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS CONNECTING VETERANS WITH MENTORS, CREATING FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES FOR VETERAN FAMILIES TO INTERACT PEER-TO-PEER, RECRUIT AND TRAIN NEW VOLUNTEERS, AND CREATE INTERNAL PROCEDURES, INSTRUCTIONS AND RECORD KEEPING MEASURES TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAMS OVER THE COURSE OF THE 12-MONTH PROJECT PERIOD. INITIAL PROJECT: INITIALLY OSC PROPOSED TWO VISTA PROJECTS TO ALIGN WITH THE VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES FOCUS AREA. WE EXPANDED TO FOUR VISTA PROJECTS THE FOLLOWING YEAR. WITH THE CONTINUATION, WE ARE REQUESTING FOUR VISTA PROJECTS. THE VISTA MEMBERS WILL HELP OSC BUILD ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY THROUGH RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS FOR TWO PROJECTS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT AND TWO THAT ARE MORE ESTABLISHED. THE PROJECTS BOTH PROVIDE SERVICES RELATED TO MENTAL WELLNESS, FAMILY STABILITY, FINANCIAL STABILITY AND PREPARATION FOR EMPLOYMENT OR VOLUNTEER SERVICE FOR DISABLED POST-9/11 COMBAT VETERANS AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS. WITH CONTINUATION, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES TO VETERANS OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, PARTICULARLY FIRST RESPONDERS. OSC SERVES LOW-INCOME, DISABLED VETERANS (70% DISABILITY RATING) AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THESE TWO PROGRAMS WILL SERVE THIS SAME POPULATION. OSC SERVES FAMILIES WHO ARE A VETERAN'S SPOUSE/CHILDREN OR PARENTS/SIBLINGS, DEPENDING ON WHO HAS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CAREGIVING. VISTA PROJECT, TYPE ONE: TO RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS TO ESTABLISH A PROGRAM OF COUNSELING, GROUP THERAPY AND MENTORSHIP ACTIVITIES FOR VETERANS. OUR GOAL WITH THIS PROGRAM IS TO PREVENT VETERAN SUICIDES AND HELP VETERANS AND CAREGIVERS READY THEMSELVES FOR THE "NEXT STEPS" IN THEIR LIVES, SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT OR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO SUPPORT VETERANS' CAREGIVERS AND FAMILIES, TO PROMOTE FAMILY STABILITY AND WELL-BEING. THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE APPROXIMATELY 25 VETERANS IN THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY AREA. VISTA PROJECT, TYPE TWO: THE VISTA WILL SERVE IN OUR OFFICE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD. THE SECOND VISTA PROJECT IS TO BUILD A COMPLEMENT OF ACTIVITIES IN THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA AND AT THE PATRIOT POINT FACILITY ON THE EASTERN SHORE (DORCHESTER COUNTY). THIS PROJECT WILL HELP VETERANS BUILD CONFIDENCE, GROW THEIR ABILITIES, BOND WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND IMPROVE EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING. THE RESULT WILL BE THAT VETERANS WILL GROW IN THEIR READINESS TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT OR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING AS A "NEXT STEP." THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE APPROXIMATELY 200 VETERANS (AND THEIR FAMILIES) FROM THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND EASTERN SHORE AREAS. THE INITIAL REQUEST WAS FOR ONE-YEAR, WITH THE OPTION TO CONTINUE VISTA SUPPORT OF THE TWO PROJECTS FOR A POTENTIAL OF UP TO THREE YEARS. THE CONTINUATION REQUEST ADDS TWO NEW POSITIONS. CONTINUATION AMENDMENT: OSC WILL CONTINUE THE TWO MARYLAND-BASED VISTA ASSIGNMENTS AS ESTABLISHED AND ADD ONE NEW VISTA POSITION IN FLORIDA AND ONE NEW VISTA POSITION IN DELAWARE. THE TWO NEW VISTA POSITIONS WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE VISTA PROJECT TWO DESCRIPTION, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE UNIQUE LOCAL NEEDS OF THE FLORIDA GULF COAST AND STATEWIDE DELAWARE COMMUNITIES.