Published: November 08, 2009 12:09 am      

Vets’ center at DACC gets renewed

DANVILLE — The new Veterans’ Multipurpose Employment Center is so successful that its grant has been renewed another year.

“I was delighted,” said Laura Williams, director of grants and planning at Danville Area Community College, where it’s located. “This is a passion for me and other administrators at DACC. We need to do anything we can to help vets.”

Not only has the grant been renewed, but it’s been increased from $50,000 to $75,000. That includes money to hire a part-time person to handle the program, geared specifically to veterans.

The college has already started the process to advertise for the position, and hopes to fill it soon.

“We expanded to the point where we need to hire someone,” Williams said.

The grant is funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Williams said the multipurpose center has worked with more than 200 veterans since getting off the ground earlier this year. That includes giving presentations to veterans’ groups. Most of the veterans using the center are seeking help with resumes, job searches and training opportunities, Williams said.

The multipurpose center offers services to all honorably discharged or current veterans, with the ultimate goal of helping veterans enter employment. The veteran does not need to be a student at DACC.

The office provides career assessments, a Vet-to-Vet support group in conjunction with the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System, resume writing, trainings, seminars, job fairs and access to equipment such as computers and fax machines.

Williams, who wrote the grant; Carla Boyd, project coordinator; and Lori Jones, financial aid officer and a veteran, plan and carry out the activities.

The three handled the multipurpose center in addition to their other jobs, so it will be a relief to add a part-time person, Boyd said. The new person will work 20 hours a week, with support from Boyd and Williams.

Boyd, director of career services, said DACC had already been serving veterans through the career office.

“It wasn’t a focus, but we were helping vets,” she said.

With the employment center, veterans can find information specific to their needs.

Williams and Boyd also work closely with the VA and the Illinois Department of Employment Security so services aren’t duplicated.

“I want to make sure we do a good job and we’re doing all we can,” Boyd said.

Williams called the VA a “fantastic partner,” which provided a letter of support for the grant renewal.

She also noted DACC and the VA have a shared history — the college now occupies buildings once used by the VA.

“It’s an honor to be able to give back to them,” she said. “They gave us the college.”

She added, “We’re working on how we can partner more.”

Williams said she’s proud of the Veterans Multipurpose Employment Center, adding, “It’s our way of saying ‘thank you.’”

FYI

-- For more information about Danville Area Community College Veterans’ Multipurpose Employment Center, call 443-8597 or 443-8593. It’s located in the career services office in the administration building, across from the student cafeteria, and is open to all veterans.

-- For more information about the Vet-to-Vet support group, call the numbers above.

-- The veterans’ representative at the Illinois Department of Employment Security can be reached at 442-3044, extension 360.