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United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley, DuPont recognize fourth group

PARKERSBURG — A veterans support organization was the fourth recipient of a grant through a program by DuPont and the United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley.

We have Your Six received $5,000 in the Game Changer initiative financed by DuPont, which earlier this year provided $60,000 to the United Way for 12 awards for the next year.

The check presentation was a post Veterans Day tribute, according to Stacy DeCicco, executive director of the United Way.

The Game Changers team surprised Gloria Husk from We Have Your Six, a nonprofit organization in the community focused on helping homeless veterans and those at risk of being homeless obtain adequate food, clothing, shelter and medical services.

We Have Your Six will transition veterans into permanent housing solutions by getting them the help they need through VA medical benefits, disability, the GI Bill for education or help finding a job. It collaborates with other organizations in the community to maximize resources and deliver the most efficient services in the most timely manner, Husk said.

The combined team from DuPont and United Way delivered the check at the organization’s office in Vienna. The visit was unannounced and unsuspected, but came at a most opportune time, according to Husk.

“We just had a call from a veteran who is sleeping in his car; we needed to pay for a hotel while we work out a plan for him,” she said. “We are getting low on funds for that program. This is so needed today.”

On hand for the presentation were four members of the DuPont Veterans Network: Chris Hunt, Navy veteran; Brian Boone, Air Force veteran; Ryan Birge, Army veteran; and Rob Hoover, Air Force veteran.

Birge is an environmental health and safety manager at DuPont and the staff sponsor for the Veterans Network.

“DuPont Washington Works and the DuPont Veterans Network consider it a privilege to present November’s Game Changer Award to We Have Your Six Inc.,” he said. “Their tireless efforts to assist homeless veterans in our area is impressive, and we are proud to be able to help.

“We want to thank all veterans for their service and are proud to partner with agencies like We Have Your Six Inc. to fill a gap and help with veterans’ needs in our community,” Birge said.

DeCicco spoke of the excitement from the Game Changers Program made possible by DuPont.

“The gifts being made through this year long celebration of nonprofits are so exciting. We are so honored to be a part of this initiative and so proud that DuPont chose to partner with us,” she said. “The look on the faces of the organizations when we come in is just priceless. This delivery was extra special. To be able to stand with four veterans in our community and make this presentation was so completely humbling.”

The gift to We Have Your Six came at a critical time and immediately will make “a monumental difference,” she said.

“We simply cannot say enough about the importance of having strong community partners like DuPont,” DeCicco said. “Strong partners really do create strong communities. These partnerships really are game changers for our community.”

The Game Changer program will continue through July. Six more organizations will become recipients and receive the recognition awards.

Previous recipients were the Wood County Society, the Wood County Firefighters Association and the Mid-Town Family Resource Center.

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