TAMPA,
Fla., Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bob
Woodruff Foundation and the Embassy of the State of Qatar joined forces with The Mission
Continues, a veterans' organization, to bring together more than
120 volunteers for a day of service benefitting fellow veterans
impacted by natural disasters.
During the day of service volunteers refurbished the Volunteers
of America Florida (VOAFL) James
Cole Village veterans' housing facility in Tampa. They painted common areas and murals,
built shelving for food pantry, landscaped, and pressure washed
outside areas.
"We teamed up with the Embassy of the State of Qatar and The Mission Continues to
work together to make a meaningful difference in the lives of over
50 veterans and their families at VOA-Florida's James Cole Village
who suffered damage from recent Hurricanes in the state," said
Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob
Woodruff Foundation. "The dedication and hard work of our
volunteers—painting, landscaping, building essential structures,
and enhancing the facility's safety—have transformed this housing
facility. This event is a powerful reminder of what we can
accomplish together to help our nation's veterans thrive."
In 2023, the Bob Woodruff Foundation received a $5 million donation from the State of Qatar to help Florida veterans who
were impacted by Hurricane Ian and other natural disasters. VOAFL
was one of the organizations who received part of this investment
to ensure that at least 100 veterans in counties impacted by
natural disasters receive assistance to improve their household
stability.
During more recent natural disasters like Hurricane Debby,
extensive damage to the veterans' housing facility occurred,
including severe fence damage, mold due to flooding, food pantry
depletion, among others. This damage affected the quality of life
for its veteran residents and their families.
"Operation Tampa Strong signified the kind of positive and
lasting impact that we can have on our nation's veterans and
the communities they serve when we all come together for a common
cause," said Kevin Cherep, Chief
Executive Officer of The Mission Continues. "Indeed, having
relationships with great partners like the Bob Woodruff Foundation
and the State of Qatar helps drive
the impact, but so does the volunteerism from the veterans,
volunteers, and community members. This was a great example of
unified service, and we are grateful to have been a part of
it."
The Bob Woodruff Foundation continues to partner with local
organizations like The Mission Continues and international entities
like the Embassy of the State of
Qatar to provide veterans, service members, and their
families the services they need. Natural disaster relief is one of
the areas of focus for the organization.
"Qatar is proud to provide
support and relief to those in need, especially veterans who have
dedicated themselves to serving others. We are pleased to continue
our work and long-time partnership with The Bob Woodruff Foundation
to help service members recover and thrive in the wake of natural
disasters. We welcome the opportunity to provide assistance that
will have a meaningful, lasting impact for veterans and their
families," said Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad
Al-Thani, Ambassador of the State
of Qatar to the U.S.
About the Bob Woodruff Foundation
The Bob Woodruff
Foundation was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was wounded by a roadside bomb
while covering the war in Iraq.
Since then, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has raised awareness about
the tough challenges veterans and military families are facing and
invested in solutions to help support them in the next chapter of
their lives. To date, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has invested over
$159 million to ensure that our
nation's veterans, service members and their families — those who
stood for us — have stable and successful futures.
Visit www.BobWoodruffFoundation.org for more
information.
About the Qatar-US Partnership
The United States established diplomatic
relations with Qatar in 1972. The
relationship has flourished in the subsequent 50 years, and today,
the countries cooperate closely on a wide range of regional and
global issues and enjoy deep commercial, educational, and cultural
ties. In defense, Qatar and the US
collaborate financially, politically, and militarily to work toward
stability and prosperity for the region, with US President
Joe Biden naming Qatar a Major Non-NATO Ally in 2022, one of
just 18 countries globally with that designation. Qatar is home to Al-Udeid Air Base, where it
has hosted US Central Command Forward Headquarters and a large US
military contingent for decades. Qatar has also routinely come to the
assistance of Americans in difficult times by donating to U.S.
communities to support efforts to recover from natural disasters,
including in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey, and
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
About The Mission Continues
The Mission Continues is a national veterans organization dedicated
to empowering veterans as community-based leaders. We invest in
veterans and under-resourced communities, developing new skill sets
and equipping a growing veteran volunteer movement with the tools
to drive positive change. We deploy veteran volunteers in more than
40 cities nationwide alongside nonprofit partners and community
leaders to improve educational resources, address food insecurity,
increase access to parks and green spaces, foster neighborhood
identity, and more. Through this unique model, veterans are
provided opportunities for personal connection and professional
growth while generating visible community impact. To learn more,
visit http://www.missioncontinues.org.
Contact:
Hillary Ovalle
383406@email4pr.com
954 825 3065
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-bob-woodruff-foundation-the-embassy-of-the-state-of-qatar-and-the-mission-continues-united-to-revitalize-tampas-james-cole-veterans-housing-village-302250264.html
SOURCE Bob Woodruff Foundation