Service members dedicate their lives to protecting this country, and they often need our help when they transition back to civilian life. For example, veterans can need job support because finding work that aligns with their expertise can be difficult. While the unemployment rate for veterans is only 3.7%, over 60% of veterans are underemployed, which means the experience, skills, and education they acquired in the military are not fully utilized.

Military families also face difficulties when it comes to gainful employment. Spouses of active-duty members of the military are four times more likely to be unemployed than the general civilian population.

To help address these challenges, The Cigna Group Foundation recently committed support for American Corporate Partners’ (ACP’s) corporate mentoring program. This collaboration aims to provide meaningful career opportunities and mentorships for veterans, service members transitioning to the civilian workforce, and active-duty military spouses.

ACP is a national nonprofit organization founded in 2008. It currently supports more than 5,400 mentorships and has helped over 37,000 veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses (protégés) find meaningful employment. A specific aspect of the mentorship program for veterans and service members involves translating their military skills and experience into civilian terms, which helps them identify job opportunities that match their military expertise and market their capabilities to potential employers. Mentors also help protégés create a resume, build job interview skills, and network professionally.

Mentorships are provided by volunteer employees from ACP’s partner organizations, including The Cigna Group. Mentors are not required to have military experience, and only 1 in 3 do. To date, 31 employees of The Cigna Group are actively mentoring a veteran or military spouse, with another 10 in the process of being matched with a protégé.

“We are committed to addressing unemployment and underemployment in the military community by offering high-touch, personalized guidance from industry professionals,” said Sid Goodfriend, founder of ACP. “Our purpose is to help them secure meaningful jobs, build long-term careers, and enhance their confidence and financial stability as they transition to civilian life.”

The Cigna Group Foundation grants help promote veteran welfare

In addition to ACP, The Cigna Group Foundation supports numerous other initiatives focused on veterans’ well-being, including a $9 million grant program aimed at improving veterans’ mental health through housing stability initiatives. The Foundation has announced 22 recipients for the first year of that program, targeting regions with high social needs and significant concentrations of The Cigna Group’s customers and employees.

Other grant recipients include housing initiatives designed to help veterans facing housing insecurity. For example, the Veterans Community Project in Missouri and the Community Renewal Team in Connecticut provide rental and mortgage assistance to help veterans avoid eviction and secure stable housing. Another grant recipient, Homes for Our Troops, focuses on building specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans.

Employees from The Cigna Group volunteer with Veterans Community Project in St. Louis, Missouri
to help build veteran transitional housing.

“Through our partnership with ACP and other initiatives, we are dedicated to improving the lives of veterans and their families,” said Suzanne Klotz, president of The Cigna Group Foundation. “Our goal is to provide them with the tools and support they need to thrive in civilian life.”

Corporate charitable sponsorships extend the reach of veteran support

The Cigna Group is also involved in national and local sponsorships that further extend our support for veterans. For example, Community Solutions, an organization that works with local communities to develop equitable systems to reduce homelessness, will use our sponsorship funding to enable 2,500 veterans to be permanently housed so they can achieve better health and vitality. The funding also will support training programs aimed at educating community leaders on sustainable methods to reduce homelessness.

Additional sponsorships assist veterans beyond housing needs. We are helping the Joshua Chamberlain Society provide lifelong support to severely wounded veterans and the families of men and women who died serving their country. This includes funding home renovations or covering the utility costs for smart homes to enhance accessibility for wounded veterans, as well as making significant contributions to the college funds of fallen soldiers’ children. We have also been a longstanding partner with Achilles International, a global organization that transforms the lives of veterans with disabilities through athletic programs and social connections. In addition, Evernorth Heath Services supports the Warrior Surf Foundation, which offers free surf therapy, wellness coaching, and yoga for veterans and their families struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and other mental health issues. Cigna Healthcare also made a multi-year commitment to Face the Fight, a nonprofit coalition of more than 170 organizations, to raise awareness and support for veteran suicide prevention.

Giving back to veterans

Employees of The Cigna Group engaged in numerous volunteer activities last year that support housing programs for veterans. Examples include:

• Veterans Villages in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Employees participated in projects to support quality affordable housing for veterans, including painting, repair, and trash clean-up. The work helped provide a clean and welcoming environment for the 40 residents, who include veterans living alone and with families.
• Habitat for Humanity in Phoenix, Arizona: Shortly before Veterans Day, employees repaired the home of a disabled Navy veteran. Projects included interior and exterior painting and roof repair. The veteran said the finished work made him feel as if he was moving into a new home.
• Veterans Community Project in St. Louis, Missouri: Employees spent four days building a fence around a community offering temporary transitional housing for veterans. The homes are designed to provide a sense of security and community for veterans re-entering civilian life.

“The dedication and hard work of these employees as volunteers are a testament to our organization’s commitment to supporting those who have served our country,” Klotz said.

The Cigna Group is proud to support our veterans and military families through mentorships, grants, and volunteerism. Together with our corporate and community partners, we aim to make a positive impact on their health and vitality as we help them achieve their full potential in civilian life.