Female veterans continue to battle higher rates of unemployment

Give someone the gift of independence with your Ohio car donation.

Female veterans are struggling with unemployment at a higher rate than their male counterparts, according to a new jobs report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The report shows that the U.S. unemployment rate for female vets dropped to 6.6 percent in July, down from 7.3 percent one year ago. That's actually below the national jobless rate of 7.4 percent, but still above the 6.4 percent rate for male veterans. While the downward shift from last year is encouraging, female veterans remain at a clear disadvantage when they remove their uniform.

And although women veterans only make up about 2 percent of the total homeless population, a recent Cleveland Plain Dealer article explains that they are at double the risk of becoming homeless than non-veteran women.

Donzella Johnson, who left the National Guard in 2009 after serving for 30 years, told one reporter, “There's so much you have to consider with the female population as far as being out here in the workforce.”

Johnson said female vets who have a lack of transportation, underlying illness or children find maintaining employment a challenge.

“It's not as if they are not as talented as their male counterparts. Often times, most of the males veterans that are unemployed don't have the additional worries,” Johnson explained.

Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio will soon be expanding our veteran employment services in Cincinnati with a focus on homeless female veterans and veterans with families, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Case managers will work with clients to overcome employment barriers and find jobs. The program will operate out of the SuperJobs Center, a one-stop employment center in Hamilton County, and hopes to serve 100 individuals in its first year.

You can help change the statistics with your Ohio car donation.

At Volunteers of America, we uplift our clients through powerful programs and services to help them reach their goal of independence. Our aim is to give veterans the tools to become productive citizens in the country they so bravely served.

Helping us in our mission is easier than you think. With your auto donation in cities like Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Cincinnati, you’ll be supporting services like the The Veterans Domiciliary at Wade Park, which houses up to 25 female veterans, as well as job training and mental health services.

All you need to do is fill out this short online auto donation form or call (800) 862-6030. The Volunteers of America staff will then arrange a time and place at your convenience for your free same-day towing. It’s that easy. You could even receive more for your clunker on your IRS tax return than you would by selling your car, truck, motorcycle, boat or RV on the market.

If you have any questions, please visit our Donate Your Car FAQ or give us a call today. There are no limits to caring.