WALTHAM, Mass., April 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The formerly
homeless veterans of Victory Apartments in Omaha, Nebraska, weren't getting out much –
and that was a problem. The staff knew bringing them together
might help them adjust to their new lives, but few were inclined to
come out into the common areas. They needed a reason.
All it took, it turns out, was a box of Hamburger Helper,
some ground turkey, a side of broccoli and someone to show them how
to throw it all together for a quick and easy meal. A Raytheon
employee led the Cooking 101 class, just one example of the
volunteer work the company is celebrating in recognition
of National Volunteer Week.
"If you've been on the street for 32 years, you wouldn't know
how a microwave works today, or how to put together a budget. Some
of them are on food stamps, and some of them still go to a shelter
to eat," said Debra Veldhuis, a
Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services employee who
coordinates volunteer efforts at the Victory Apartments and has a
place on its advisory board. "The goal is to get them out there –
get them on their feet, get them to re-enter society, get a job and
get their own place they can call home."
Raytheon is honoring Veldhuis and four other employees as
"Superstar Volunteers" for their service to military veterans and
education in science, technology, engineering and math – the
company's major volunteering priorities. Employees around the
country will mark National Volunteer Week by working at events
related to those areas, and nearly 400 are set to receive the
President's Volunteer Service Award from the White House.
The award is given to those who recorded at
least 100 volunteer hours in 2014. Among the Raytheon
employees set to receive the award, six logged more than 1,000
volunteer hours last year.
The other Superstar Volunteers:
Mike Bouey: The Raytheon
Missile Systems engineer served as a paralegal in the U.S. Army,
including a year-long deployment to Iraq in 2004. His volunteer work has included
tutoring high school students in math and speaking to groups
of soldiers who have recently returned from deployment. Bouey
also serves on the board of directors for Support
Education & Employment for Veterans. The Arizona-based group, also called S.E.E.4 Vets,
helps veterans in community college find employment and provides
funding for those who do not qualify for the GI Bill, or whose GI
Bill benefits are inadequate to support a family.
"It's really all about just trying to get veterans back in the
workforce and getting them back into serving society in the fastest
way possible," said Bouey, who continues to serve as a first
lieutenant in the Arizona National Guard.
Paul Krier: The Raytheon
cybersecurity expert is a former U.S. Air Force captain who
volunteers in support of two teams in the National Collegiate Cyber
Defense Competition. He is an advisor and company liaison to the
teams from Southern Methodist
University and the University of North
Texas, two of the approximately 180 teams that square off in
the Raytheon-sponsored cybersecurity competition every year.
"Our world is so connected and so online, that its security is
paramount to our daily lives. Not just from an industry or an
enterprise, but from an individual perspective," Krier said. "More
people are becoming aware of how fragile the online presence is,
and we're training the next generation of professionals who can
take on that challenge and make sure we remain safe online."
Kimberly Martinez: The
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems engineer and U.S. Navy
lieutenant commander has volunteered at USO dinners through her
role in RAYVETS, Raytheon's employee organization for military
veterans and supporters. She has also served as a high school math
tutor and worked on fundraising for about $17,000 in scholarships, including a STEM
scholarship for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students in
San Diego.
"Volunteering is so rewarding. As a female veteran, I never
personally had a mentor to guide me through my career path,
and tutoring in the Stand and Deliver program is a way for me to
give back and share my experiences as a professional engineer and
as a military officer," she said. "Scholarships are
another way of giving back to students who have a passion to
succeed but need financial assistance to accomplish their
educational goals. The LGBT students who apply for the STEM
scholarship are the cream of the crop. They're very talented
individuals, and they're driven to succeed."
Ric Roberts: The Raytheon
Space and Airborne Systems engineer is a longtime coach and
fundraiser for high-school robotics clubs. His current role:
Organizing a Los Angeles-area
regional robotics competition for more than 60 schools. Roberts
said he is especially proud to help traditionally underrepresented
groups such as girls and low-income students explore careers in
technology.
"There's tremendous diversity in this whole thing," he said.
"It's great to see kids who didn't believe they could do science
and math, who didn't understand how they could apply science and
math, be able to do that."
CONTACT: Mike Doble, 703 980
9442 mdoble@raytheon.com
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SOURCE Raytheon Company