- Video shows Mikie Kelley, Veterans and Employment Services, who expresses the importance of free transportation for veterans.
- Printer Source Plus and Professional Tree Care donated one year's-worth of bus passes, so that local veterans can get to job interviews.
As a Navy and Army veteran, Mikie Kelley understands the struggle that comes with veterans taking the first steps towards employment. As an advisor for Veterans and Employment Services through the state of Michigan, it's something he's seen firsthand.
"One struggle is, when you transition from military service to civilian life, we have issues with homelessness, transportation - and that's where we step in and get them services they need," Kelley said.
Kelley shares that veterans often struggle getting jobs post-service, whether that's because they are struggling with mental illness, disability, or other obstacles. However, thanks to donations made by Printer Source Plus and Professional Tree Care, Jackson Area Transportation Authority (JATA) is able to provide a year's worth of bus passes to veterans looking for jobs, so that those first steps towards employment are more attainable.
JATA Government and Community Relations Manager, Patrick O'Dowd, shares, "The veterans have served our country selflessly. They've given up themselves and now they find themselves in a position where they're trying to rebuild their lives, and transportation might just be that one last step to connect them to a better life." These passes will help veterans who struggle finding employment by getting them to a Michigan Works! office, taking that first step.
Kelley shares that veterans need community connections to make opportunities like this possible. "What excites me is partners like JATA who come through. Community is something that I rely on, and all Veteran Career Advisors rely on, to help other veterans. We can't do it ourselves. We rely on the community for support."
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