The Mission Continues

The Mission Continues
Founded August 2007
Founder Eric Greitens
Type Service
Location
Area served
 Nationwide
Method Community Service
Key people

Eric Greitens, Founder

Spencer Kympton, President
Revenue
 $6.5 million in 2012 (individual, corporate, and foundation donors)
Employees
 30+
Volunteers
 4500+
Slogan "Reporting for duty in your community."
Mission The Mission Continues empowers veterans to serve their country in new ways.
Website www.missioncontinues.org
Formerly called
 Center for Citizen Leadership[1]

The Mission Continues, formerly Center for Citizen Leadership, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers veterans facing the challenge of adjusting to life at home to find new missions. Founded in 2007, The Mission Continues "redeploys veterans in their communities, so that their shared legacy will be one of service and success.[2]

History

The Mission Continues was founded in 2007, after CEO Eric Greitens returned home from service in Iraq as a Navy SEAL. Upon his return, Eric visited with wounded Marines at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. Without exception, each Marine expressed an unwavering desire to continue serving his country, even if he could no longer do so in the military. Inspired, Eric used his own combat pay and asked two friends to pitch in their military disability checks to found The Mission Continues.[3]

Eric Greitens stepped down as CEO in July 2014, citing the expectation of his first child with his wife Sheena. Spencer Kympton is his successor.[4][5]

As of May 2014, The Mission Continues had awarded more than 1,000 fellowships since it began operations.[6]

Programs

Fellowship Program

The Mission Continues Fellowship Program awards six-month community service fellowships to post-9/11 veterans to volunteer at the nonprofit or community organization of his or her choice. Fellows are encouraged to choose a nonprofit organization to serve based on their own personal passions.[5] Fellows have volunteered at organizations addressing issues ranging from disaster preparedness to education for low-income youth to training service dogs for wounded veterans. These host organizations include Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.[7]

Fellows attend a three-day orientation at the start of their fellowship joining other post-9/11 veterans from their class for a weekend of training, service and camaraderie. Upon returning home from orientation, Fellows officially begin their fellowships at their host organizations. Throughout the fellowship, each Fellow works toward goals of full time employment, higher education and a permanent role of service.[8]

Service Platoon Program

The Mission Continues Service Platoon Program mobilizes teams of veterans, active duty service members, guardsmen and reservists to solve a specific challenge in their community.[9] As of March 2015, service platoons were active in more than 30 cities nationwide.

Just as new Fellows attend a pre-fellowship orientation, Service Platoon Leaders also attend a training weekend prior to taking charge of their service platoon. The Mission Continues also invites platoon leaders to attend a "Service Summit" each fall.

Board of Directors

Awards

The Mission Continues has been recognized for nonprofit excellence, including being named one of the 50 Best Nonprofits to Work For in 2012, 2013[10] and 2014[11] by the The NonProfit Times, a "Best Place to Work" from Outside (magazine) in 2013 and 2014,[12] the 2011 Innovation Award Winner[13] from the Social Venture Network, the 2012 TORCH Award[14] from the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois, a 2009 Draper Richards Fellowship[15] from the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation and the 2011 Best of Bullseye Award for Collaboration[16] from Target.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "GuideStar Exchange Reports for CENTER FOR CITIZEN LEADERSHIP". Retrieved 2014-06-07.
  2. ↑ "About". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Founding Story". Missioncontinues.org. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  4. ↑ Lee Enterprises. "STL's Eric Greitens steps down as veterans group chief". stltoday.com.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "The Mission Continues puts veterans to work on community projects nationwide - Harvard Magazine Nov-Dec 2014".
  6. ↑ "For veteran volunteers, story is part of the work". Military Times.
  7. ↑ "About the Fellowship". Missioncontinues.org. 2001-09-11. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  8. ↑ "Fellowship Program". missioncontinues.org. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Service Platoon Program". missioncontinues.org. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  10. ↑ "the NonProfit Times : Best Nonprofits to Work For 2013" (PDF). Thenonprofittimes.com. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  11. ↑ "NPT's Best Nonprofits to Work For 2014" (PDF). The Nonprofit Times.
  12. ↑ "Outside's Best Places to Work 2014". outsidemag.com. Outside. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "Meet Our Members - SVN Innovation Awards - Current Winners - 2011 Innovation Award Winners - Social Venture Network". Svn.org. 2012-02-16. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  14. ↑ "Mission Continues Business Review in Saint Louis, MO - Eastern Missouri & Southern Illinois BBB". Bbb.org. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  15. ↑ "The Mission Continues Awarded Prestigious Social Change Grant". Missioncontinues.org. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  16. ↑ "The Mission Continues Receives Target's "Best of Bullseye" Award". Missioncontinues.org. Retrieved 2013-09-22.

External links