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Archive for category: Philanthropy

Wounded Warrior Intern Program

Purple Knight Initiative Fills a Need Helping Combat Wounded Veterans Obtain Real-World Skills

News, Philanthropy, Press Releases
Wounded Warrior Intern Program
Pictured: (left to right) – Jason Plucinik (Cole Engineering) and Steven Habercorn (PKI intern)

Cole Engineering Partners with Knight Federal to Offer Wounded Warrior Intern Program

Knight Federal Solutions is excited to announce a new partnership with Cole Engineering Services, Inc. (CESI), a premier provider of training solutions to the federal government and industry, through its wounded warrior internship program the Purple Knight Initiative (PKI).  

PKI offers paid internships to wounded warriors who are seeking to learn a new career in fields that are conducive to their disabilities and desires for employment.   Life after service can be a challenge to navigate, especially for those service members who have lived through combat with injuries.  With the veteran in mind first, Knight Federal partners with defense and government agencies as well as their prime contractors, non-profit organizations, and corporations across the country, to find employment opportunities.  With the veterans’ safety and welfare as top priority, PKI provides the education, management, and training for the veterans to develop future meaningful careers in high-demand technology fields.

“Cole Engineering is deeply committed to serving our veterans, and our partnership with Knight Federal’s Purple Knight Initiative is a great honor. Through our first PKI warrior hire we immediately recognized the difference PKI provides to transitioning veterans. As we continue to expand our partnership, we are proud to provide opportunities to these warriors who have sacrificed so much as they successfully transition from military to civilian life,” says Brian Serra, CESI’s Vice President, Acquisition Initiatives & Engagement.

More than 26,000 disabled veterans/wounded warriors are searching for career opportunities.  A 2014 Pew survey found that 44% of veterans who served since 9/11 were having trouble adjusting to civilian life. That was particularly true for those who suffered serious injury or endured an emotionally traumatic experience during their service. Veterans have many qualities that make them superb candidates for employment: discipline, leadership, and competency in areas from health care to information technology. However, they typically have less civilian work experience than other applicants. For many companies, that makes a big difference.

“Partnering with Cole Engineering will further expand the opportunities for our combat wounded veterans to have meaningful careers, which is helpful for their rehabilitation and successful integration into civilian life.  PKI’s primary focus is to mentor veterans, develop leadership skills, and successfully place them with veteran-friendly employers,” says Chris Baeten, CEO of Knight Federal Solutions.

If your company is interested in partnering with the PKI, please contact us.

https://knightfederal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/PKI-photo.jpg 1080 1440 webdesigns@sandymeier.com /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png webdesigns@sandymeier.com2021-12-23 11:24:312021-12-28 01:41:45Purple Knight Initiative Fills a Need Helping Combat Wounded Veterans Obtain Real-World Skills
John Nickerson Named Program Manager for Purple Knight Initiative

John Nickerson Named Program Manager for Purple Knight Initiative

Employee, News, Philanthropy
John Nickerson Named Program Manager for Purple Knight Initiative
John Nickerson

John Nickerson opens the line of communication between Knight Federal Solution (KFS) customers and Wounded Veterans to get projects done.  With 21 years of military service, John has experience in management consultation, team building, professional development, strategic implementation, leadership, and company collaboration.  Since John’s retirement from the United States Marine Corps, he has worked in the Joint Staff J-7 as a database administrator and recently took on the position of Project Manager of the Knight Federal Solutions Purple Knight Initiative (PKI) program. As a wounded veteran himself, he is a graduate of the PKI program and can attest to its successes.

https://knightfederal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/New-John-Nickerson-headshot-1.jpg 1620 1080 webdesigns@sandymeier.com /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png webdesigns@sandymeier.com2021-10-20 17:01:212021-10-20 17:06:29John Nickerson Named Program Manager for Purple Knight Initiative

Kick Off for Kids Fuels the Community

Community Involvement, News, Philanthropy
Kick Off for Kids Fuels the Community

7th Annual Fundraiser Benefits Central Florida School Food Pantries

Sparked by a 60 Minutes documentary on homelessness in Central Florida, Kick Off for Kids began as a quarterly food drive in 2011 organized by Kavaliro, a leading-edge technology solutions and staffing firm providing qualified personnel in information technology, engineering, finance, accounting and administration, founded by alumni from the University of Central Florida.

The idea was to “Fuel the Community” once a quarter by asking for specific food items, such as peanut butter and jelly and other dry goods and nutritious snacks, to donate to local public school food pantries and their backpack programs.  As the community rallied behind the efforts of this simple food drive, a few people spearheading the effort began to brainstorm ways to make the program even bigger and better in order to support additional schools.

Fast-forward to today, and the program evolved into a nonprofit volunteer based organization in 2013, called Kick Off for Kids, that relies on community support of tangible donations to make a difference for Central Florida public school students in need.  Its mission is to ensure all students have the proper nourishment to sustain the focus needed in order to achieve academic success.

“Knight Federal is proud to support Kick Off for Kids.  What began as a simple grassroots effort has evolved into a critical support resource for children that are suffering from food insecurity due to homelessness and extreme poverty in Central Florida schools.  We support their mission to raise more money to feed more children,” says Chris Baeten, Knight Federal’s CEO.

Kick Off for Kids hosts their annual signature fundraising event in the fall, held on NFL Kickoff Thursday, which is how the charity’s name originated.  This year’s event took place on Thursday, September 5, at Rock & Brews in Oviedo.  Proceeds raised from the event generated more than $37K – up nearly $2,500 from last year.  Table sponsorships were also sold out this year and there was a generous support from in-kind donations as well.  This event generates money to support the mission to buy food for the schools for the year, through table sponsorships, raffle items, games, and a live auction.  Knight Federal was a sponsor of the program.

“We are grateful for the support of the Central Florida community to be able to address this increasing need impacting our children and families.  Since we held our first event, it has grown exponentially each year increasing the number of sponsors and donations, raising more than $180K to support the local school food programs.  Currently, we support 22 schools across Orange and Seminole counties, but we hope to expand that and provide more support as the demand rises and word spreads about our services.  The more money we raise, the more food we buy and the more children we feed,” says Lisa Moore, Kick Off for Kids Executive Director.

The Kick Off for Kids program was created to benefit public school students who receive free or reduced lunch, or families facing financial difficulties. The way it works is that each Friday backpacks are filled at the school with nutritious food to be sent home with the students, providing families in need with breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the weekend. The empty backpacks are then returned the following Monday to be refilled. Because the demand is so great, often the families given a backpack are asked to rotate each week.

In its first year, Kick Off for Kids generated more than $10,000 and 2,000 pounds of food. The proceeds were used to purchase food to support six local schools on a quarterly basis throughout the year.  In just seven years, the event has grown annually with almost 100% of the donations used to purchase food. Everything is donated or done pro bono, aside from credit card fees.  To date Kick Off for Kids has donated more than 95,024 pounds of food, helping to alleviate the problem of hunger for children in Central Florida’s public schools.

Kick Off for Kids

Kick Off for Kids was established in 2013 as a nonprofit organization to ensure all Central Florida students have the proper nourishment to sustain the focus needed to achieve academic success.  It stemmed from a quarterly community food drive into an organization dedicated to help “fuel the community” by addressing the need to support local public school food pantry programs.  Visit the website at www.kickoffforkidsorlando.com.

 

  • Kick Off for Kids Fuels the Community
  • Kick Off for Kids Fuels the Community
  • Kick Off for Kids Fuels the Community
  • Kick Off for Kids Fuels the Community
0 0 webdesigns@sandymeier.com /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png webdesigns@sandymeier.com2019-09-11 19:43:302021-07-14 03:08:23Kick Off for Kids Fuels the Community

Orlando’s Largest Office Party

Community Involvement, Philanthropy

Knight Federal Organizes Team for IOA 5K Walk/Run

Knight Federal is excited to organize a company team for this annual event hosted by IOA, celebrating its 25th year of offering the “largest office party” in downtown Orlando.

On April 18 at 6:45pm, more than 18,000+ people are expected to participate in this 5K walk and run – making health and wellness a priority for companies, but also giving back to the Central Florida community – by providing meals for the hungry and funding for the Track Shack Youth Foundation. Track Shack offers programs to train from Zero to Fit and Walk/Run Exercise Programs. For more information, contact Samantha Mooney-Outlaw, our Knight Federal Team Captain for details on how to get involved. Family and friends are welcome to join our team!

/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png 0 0 webdesigns@sandymeier.com /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png webdesigns@sandymeier.com2019-04-12 12:28:262021-07-14 03:08:23Orlando’s Largest Office Party

Fairways for Warriors Veterans Day Golf Tournament Raises Record Setting Goal

Community Involvement, Philanthropy

Knight Federal Participates as Gold Level Sponsor

Golfers from businesses across Central Florida participated in the 8th annual Veterans Day Golf Tournament to benefit Fairways for Warriors Orlando Chapter.  The event was held on Friday, November 8, 2018, at the Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando.  This year’s event was sold out and raised more than $50K – setting a new record!. 

“Fairways for Warriors is significantly changing and saving the lives of our nation’s combat wounded veterans and their families.  We are so fortunate to be a corporate sponsor for this annual event and take pride in helping those that have sacrificed so much for us,” says event organizer and Knight Federal’s CEO Chris Baeten.

Fairways for Warriors is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit organization dedicated to providing a better quality of life for the nation’s wounded veterans by using golf and golf instruction to wounded service personnel and their family members. 

Golf has proven to be an excellent tool for mental and physical rehabilitation, and Fairways for Warriors is giving these brave men and women the opportunity to heal from their most significant injuries – unseen injuries such as depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), etc.  

For more information on how to support this organization or to get involved in the 2019 event, visit www.fairwaysforwarriors.org.  All donations are tax deductible! 

(From L to R) – Vietnam Veteran Richard Jacquet, Chris Baeten and OIF Veteran BJ Jackson.

Scott Wertsching, Air Force Veteran, Henry Rodriguez, Samantha Mooney-Outlaw, Chris Baeten and (Thunder the bald eagle-front)

 

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Get Your Heart On

Community Involvement, Philanthropy

Knight Federal Participates in the Annual Heart Walk at UCF

Braving a cold morning, team Knight Federal with their family and friends, took part in the annual American Heart Association (AHA) Heart Walk on Saturday, November 3 at the University of Central Florida campus.

The team raised more than $1K in support of its goal to support the AHA in its fight to prevent heart disease and stroke, while funding research and education to save and improve lives.

“Organizing for our first Heart Walk this year was a great honor.  Many employees in our organization have been touched by heart disease in some way, so it was a great event to give back and celebrate life.  I look forward to doing it again next year and raising even more for this great cause,” says Samantha Mooney-Outlaw, Knight Federal’s Contracts Administration Manager.

From humble beginnings, the AHA has grown into the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke for nearly 100 years. A shared focus on cardiovascular health unites more than 33 million volunteers and supporters as well as more than 3,400 employees.  Learn more about the AHA’s impact over time.

Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide, and stroke ranks second globally. Even when those conditions don’t result in death, they cause disability and diminish quality of life. The AHA is working to see a world free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.  Its mission is to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.

The AHA’s size and scope lets the organization have real impact. The AHA has invested more than $4.1 billion in research, more than any United States nonprofit organization.  Read more about the AHA’s life-changing funded research breakthroughs.

If you want to help you can still donate to help the Knight Federal team reach the goal! We need to raise $1K more! Visit our company fundraising page – http://bit.ly/2AJykcf

2018 Heart Walk Team Knight Federal

/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png 0 0 webdesigns@sandymeier.com /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png webdesigns@sandymeier.com2018-12-05 14:11:502021-07-14 03:08:24Get Your Heart On

Former J7 Director Leads Wounded Warrior Internship Program

Community Involvement, Employee, News, Philanthropy

Shawn Lopez pictured with Tim Baker, director of the Purple Knight Initiative.

Timothy L. Baker, the former director of the Resource & Acquisition Management Office of the Joint Staff J7, has been appointed to lead the Purple Knight Initiative, a Wounded Warrior Internship program developed by Knight Federal Solutions.

Baker was a Senior Level executive, overseeing a $900M annual budget, managing a $180M annual contract portfolio and all assigned facilities.  He joins Knight Federal with an extensive background in military operations at the federal level, as well as serving in the U.S. Navy for more than 23 years retiring with the rank of Captain. Baker has many received many awards including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and other various service awards.

Knight Federal Solutions’ Purple Knight Initiative connects employers with qualified, impactful and passionate Combat Disabled Veterans to support their business in hopes of providing Wounded Warriors meaningful career opportunities in industry or the federal government to support their recovery and provide them with the opportunity to build the future they so richly deserve. The goal is to provide paid internships to Wounded Warriors seeking to learn a new career, in fields that are conducive to their disabilities and desires for employment, with their safety and welfare in mind first.

“Throughout my 47-year career of supporting the Navy, USJFCOM, The Joint Staff and industry in various leadership positions, I have recognized that the highest quality, most successful organizations have leaders of integrity, high moral and ethical character and who place the welfare, professional and personal development of their staff as their primary objectives.  Knight Federal Solutions is such a quality organization and the Purple Knight Initiative is our company’s commitment to our nation’s wounded war veterans. Through our Wounded Warrior Internship Program, we are giving these American heroes the opportunity to continue to serve our great nation out of uniform and to pursue career opportunities for themselves and their families as part of their program of recovery. Taking care of our people is our core value and what distinguishes Knight Federal Solutions from other companies and it is a great personal honor to be part of this,” says Baker, director of the Wounded Warrior Intern Program for Knight Federal Solutions.

The goal of the program is to provide paid internships to wounded warriors who are looking to learn a new career, in fields that are conducive to their disabilities and desires for employment.

“We are thrilled to have Tim in this position.  His knowledge and expertise are an integral component to this program that will take it to the next level and help so many deserving combat disabled veterans.  I look forward to working with him to build this program into a national model for others to adopt and implement,” says Chris Baeten, CEO of Knight Federal Solutions.

For more information on the Purple Knight Initiative, click here – https://bit.ly/2urG4MF.

/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png 0 0 webdesigns@sandymeier.com /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png webdesigns@sandymeier.com2018-07-23 14:59:012021-07-14 03:08:24Former J7 Director Leads Wounded Warrior Internship Program

Knight Federal Gives Back

Community Involvement, News, Philanthropy

Knight Federal Solutions supports Fairways for Warriors among other philanthropy activities.

Knight Federal upholds the premise that communities grow and prosper as a result of the efforts both individuals and local businesses make to create lasting improvements for everyone.  In support of this, the company holds firmly in its view of corporate social responsibility, as well as its greatest pleasure, to give back to the community in which it resides and conducts business.

Knight Federal’s goal is to ensure that as the company grows and succeeds, that it gives back to the region with as much effort and enthusiasm as it offers when providing services to valued clients.  The employees at Knight Federal are passionate and deeply rooted in their community, which has provided so much and as a company, Knight Federal is proud to contribute to the overall growth and quality of life in Central Florida, its headquarters.

Knight Federal’s community involvement is far-reaching.  Its employees do not immerse themselves in these organizations for the accolades that often come with such involvement, but instead are truly grateful for they have and want to give back in any way possible.  The organizations listed in this article are not included as a bragging right but are included because Knight Federal wants to get the word out about the invaluable services these organizations are providing and to help spread the word and encourage others to get involved.  “We can only become better people, a better community, and a better country through our efforts to help others,” says Chris Baeten, Knight Federal’s CEO.

Baeten lives by example as he currently serves as a board member to Fairways for Warriors, a non-profit organization that supports local combat wounded veterans by providing mentorship and camaraderie through the game of golf.  As the tournament chair for the group’s annual Veteran’s Day golf tournament, which is its largest fundraiser, Baeten has helped to raise more than $100K over the past two years, of which Knight Federal is a corporate sponsor.

To learn more about Knight Federal’s community involvement and the organizations it supports, visit https://bit.ly/2Nmhcge.

/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png 0 0 webdesigns@sandymeier.com /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png webdesigns@sandymeier.com2018-07-23 14:56:102021-07-14 03:08:24Knight Federal Gives Back

Providing Wounded Veterans with Meaningful Career Opportunities

Community Involvement, News, Philanthropy

Purple Knight Initiative Team

More than 26,000 disabled veterans or wounded warrior are searching for career opportunities.  A 2014 Pew survey found that 44% of veterans who served since 9/11 were having trouble adjusting to civilian life. That was particularly true for those who suffered serious injury or endured an emotionally traumatic experience during their service. Veterans have many qualities that make them superb candidates for employment: discipline, leadership, and competency in areas from health care to information technology. However, they typically have less civilian work experience than other applicants.  That makes a difference for many companies. When the economy is weak, employers are less likely to take “risks” when hiring.

In response to this need, Knight Federal Solutions has developed the Purple Knight Initiative.  Collaborating with government agencies and their prime contractors, non-profit organizations, corporations and the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. This program provides paid internships to wounded warriors who are looking to learn a new career in fields that are conducive to their disabilities and desires for employment.

“We developed this program to address a critical need by our nation’s combat disabled veterans.  By connecting companies and employers with qualified, impactful and passionate veterans, we can offer hope to advocate, embrace, empower and support them to lead a higher quality of life and be in a better position to support themselves and their families financially,” says Chris Baeten, CEO of Knight Federal.

The goal of the program is to provide paid internships to wounded warriors who are looking to learn a new career, in fields that are conducive to their disabilities and desires for employment. With the veteran in mind first, Knight Federal Solutions is dedicated to the safety and welfare of the veteran and will do its best to educate, manage, and train all employees on veterans in the workforce, including finding reliable resources for the veteran’s needs.

For more information, visit our website – https://bit.ly/2urG4MF.

/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png 0 0 webdesigns@sandymeier.com /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Red_Gray_KFLogo_Tag_CMYK-1030x361.png webdesigns@sandymeier.com2018-07-23 14:53:492021-07-14 03:08:24Providing Wounded Veterans with Meaningful Career Opportunities

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