The Mission Continues

The Mission Continues, formerly Center for Citizen Leadership, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers veterans facing the challenge of adjusting to life at home to find new missions. Founded in 2007 by Republican politician Eric Greitens, The Mission Continues "redeploys veterans in their communities, so that their shared legacy will be one of service and success.[2]

The Mission Continues
FoundedAugust 2007 (2007-08)
FounderEric Greitens
TypeService
Location
Area served
Nationwide
MethodCommunity Service
Key people
Eric Greitens, Founder
Spencer Kympton, President
Revenue
$6.5 million in 2012 (individual, corporate, and foundation donors)
Employees
30+
Volunteers
4500+
Websitewww.missioncontinues.org
Formerly called
Center for Citizen Leadership[1]

History

The Mission Continues was founded in 2007, after CEO Eric Greitens returned home from service in Iraq as a Navy SEAL. Upon his return, Eric visited with wounded Marines at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. Many Marines expressed a desire to continue serving their country, even if they could no longer do so in the military. Inspired, Greitens founded The Mission Continues.[3] As of May 2014, The Mission Continues had awarded more than 1,000 fellowships since it began operations.[4]

Greitens stepped down as CEO in July 2014 to pursue political aspirations in Missouri;[5] Spencer Kympton is his successor.[6][7]

Programs

Service Platoon Program

The organization's Platoon Program mobilizes teams of veterans,[8] active duty service members, guardsmen and reservists to solve a specific challenge in their community. As of March 2020, there are over 80 service platoons active in over 50 cities.[9]

Mass Deployment

Mass Deployment, an event that brings together veterans from across the country for a week of high-impact service projects in one community,[10] Every year, a new Mass Deployment city is selected with a goal of jump-starting long-term transformational change, having served in Detroit, Atlanta’s Westside, the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, and South Baltimore.[11]

Service Leadership Corps

The Service Leadership Corps is a six-month, community-based leadership program that combines in-person and online learning with real-world applications. The goal is to equip program participants with relevant skills to serve as a community leader.[12] Starting in 2020, the program has two tracks, the traditional one continues to meet in person while the new virtual track offers remote learning for a more flexible participation experience.[13]

Women Veterans Leadership Program

In April 2016, The Mission Continues launched the first Women Veterans Leadership Summit in New Orleans[14] and due to its success, it was pivoted towards a full-fledged program,[15] the organization launched the Women Veterans Leadership Program.[16] This program brings together a cohort of women veterans from all eras for a five-month program, designed to support women by identifying their unique leadership pathways, strengthening their existing leadership skills, and creating a nationwide network of like-minded women.[17]

Awards

The organization has been named one of the 50 Best Nonprofits to Work For in 2012, 2013[18] and 2014[19] by The NonProfit Times, a "Best Place to Work" from Outside in 2013 and 2014,[20] the 2011 Innovation Award Winner[21] from the Social Venture Network, the 2012 TORCH Award[22] from the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois, a 2009 Draper Richards Fellowship[23] from the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation and the 2011 Best of Bullseye Award for Collaboration[24] from Target.

Political controversy

Eric Greitens was accused of improperly taking The Mission Continues list of donors and his campaign was fined in 2015.[25] On April 20, 2018, Greitens was charged with felony computer data tampering, related to the same incident.[26] The charges were later dropped.[27]

See also

References
  1. "GuideStar Exchange Reports for CENTER FOR CITIZEN LEADERSHIP". Retrieved 2014-06-07.
  2. "About". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  3. "Founding Story". Missioncontinues.org. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  4. "For veteran volunteers, story is part of the work". Military Times.
  5. Board, the Editorial. "Editorial: Greitens drags the charity he founded into his ethical muck". stltoday.com. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  6. Lee Enterprises. "STL's Eric Greitens steps down as veterans group chief". stltoday.com.
  7. "The Mission Continues puts veterans to work on community projects nationwide - Harvard Magazine Nov-Dec 2014".
  8. "Volunteer veteran platoons to take on public service nationwide". stripes.com. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  9. "Service Platoon Program". Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  10. "Veterans beautify Detroit in week-long service marathon, volunteers encouraged to join in". Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  11. "Hundreds of Military & Veterans Volunteer to Rebuild & Revitalize Detroit in Nation's First-Ever Local "Mass Deployment"".|accessdate=24 June 2020}}
  12. "The Mission Continues connects Veterans, helps communities". Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  13. "Service Leadership Corps". Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  14. "FHG Commanding General Empowers Female Veterans". Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  15. "2019: THE LAST WOMEN VETERANS LEADERSHIP SUMMIT". Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  16. "Female veterans refurbish D.C. facility for homeless women". Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  17. "Women Veterans Leadership". Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  18. "the NonProfit Times : Best Nonprofits to Work For 2013" (PDF). Thenonprofittimes.com. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  19. "NPT's Best Nonprofits to Work For 2014" (PDF). The Nonprofit Times.
  20. "Outside's Best Places to Work 2014". outsidemag.com. Outside. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  21. "Meet Our Members - SVN Innovation Awards - Current Winners - 2011 Innovation Award Winners - Social Venture Network". Svn.org. 2012-02-16. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  22. "Mission Continues Business Review in Saint Louis, MO - Eastern Missouri & Southern Illinois BBB". Bbb.org. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  23. "The Mission Continues Awarded Prestigious Social Change Grant". Missioncontinues.org. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  24. "The Mission Continues Receives Target's "Best of Bullseye" Award". Missioncontinues.org. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  25. Board, the Editorial. "Editorial: Greitens drags the charity he founded into his ethical muck". stltoday.com. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  26. Gorman, Steve. "Missouri governor charged with felony computer data tampering". U.S. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  27. "Prosecutor dropping computer tampering case against Greitens". POLITICAL. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
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