CINCINNATI (AP) — Like many people, Gary Staten typicallythought of the nonprofit group Easter
Seals as mainly helping childrenand adults with disabilities and special needs.But the Marineveteran is
grateful that the organization’s affiliates are carrying out anew initiative to create support networks for
veterans, militaryservice members and their families through communitywide partnerships.Statencredits staff
at Cincinnati-based Easter Seals TriState — which servesareas in southwestern Ohio, northern Kentucky and
southeastern Indiana —for helping him find a job with FedEx just weeks after his recentmilitary discharge
and for his wife’s temporary job. They also helpedhim get emergency financial assistance after the
government shutdowndelayed his military pay."I thought we would just be on our own,"said Staten,
33, of Hebron, Ky., across the Ohio River from Cincinnati."But this organization showed that there are
people out there who docare and want to help veterans and not just pass the buck.EasterSeals has served
military service members and veterans since World WarII, but the current initiative goes well beyond those
efforts. EasterSeals affiliates are providing their own services and promotingcooperative efforts involving
area organizations, employers and schoolsthat serve veterans. They also are focusing on how to better
useexisting resources and find ways of filling any gaps in service."Weare committing all of Easter
Seals to be a resource for veterans andtheir families nationwide," said Randall Rutta, the national
EasterSeals’ chief strategy officer.Easter Seals is working with theWashington-based Dixon Center for
Military and Veterans CommunityServices in setting up these communitywide efforts. Retired U.S. ArmyCol.
David Sutherland, who heads the center, says an integrated approachwill help avoid duplications or gaps in
service that can result fromorganizations working on their own."There are so many, it can be
confusing," he said.Theefforts in Cincinnati began with identifying the region’s organizationsserving
veterans, inviting them to meetings starting in February andforming a steering committee of representatives
from those groups, saidDavid Dreith, executive vice president of the Easter Seals affiliate.The committee is
working to identify the region’s needs and whichagencies can best meet those needs, either alone or in
conjunction withothers.One hurdle to forming some of these community partnershipsaround the country is that
many nonprofit agencies compete for some ofthe same funding."That’s why it is important to keep the
focus on the people we are all trying to serve," Dreith said.Another important part of the initiative
is a mechanism for referring veterans to the organizations that can best serve them.AnthonyHassan, director
of the Center of Innovation and Research on Veteransand Military Families at the University of Southern
California, believesthe Cincinnati-based model is one that other areas should follow."Cincinnati is a
great example of small city, rural and suburban all coming together," Hassan said.InIndianapolis, the
Easter Seals Crossroads is developing a "rally point"— aone-stop physical site where veterans and
family members can goto receive services, information and referral, said Bruce Schnaith, vicepresident of
workforce development services.Anysa Holder, aspokeswoman for Easter Seals New Jersey, says that
organization is stilldeveloping its plan for the community-based approach but has alreadyheld some events to
provide veterans with information on where they cango for assistance.Hassan, whose center is leading a
collaborativein Los Angeles, said there are similar efforts outside of Easter Seals,but he is not seeing
enough across the country."If we are goingto create a safety net for returning veterans, all of us are
going tohave to come together and create a network of support that is smart andefficient and one that can
provide the service when it’s needed," hesaid.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved.
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