Walmart Foundation helps veterans find green jobs

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — The Walmart Foundation has announced a two-year $750,000 grant to Veterans Green Jobs. With this funding, Veterans Green Jobs will connect with 1,000 veterans through its training and employment initiatives and place many of those veterans into full-time green sector jobs, the foundation reported. This is the latest commitment under the Walmart Foundation's recently announced five-year, $20 million giving initiative aimed at combating the high veteran unemployment rate.

The grant was announced during a "Hiring our Heroes" veterans job fair in Belleville, Ill., one of 100 job fairs Walmart has sponsored through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for recently returned veterans is 12%.

"The idea that our nation's heroes are being forced to transition from the frontlines to the unemployment line is one of the worst realities we can imagine," said retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Gary Profit, senior director of military programs at Walmart. "Through Walmart's support of Veterans Green Jobs, our partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other outreach, we're doing our part to ensure our veterans have the support they need and the career opportunities they deserve."

Since 2009, Walmart said it has donated more than $1 million to Veterans Green Jobs, resulting in training and jobs for more than 350 veterans.