Research Foundation of the City University of New York on behalf of Hunter College - Bob Woodruff Foundation

Research Foundation of the City University of New York on behalf of Hunter College

Project for Return and Opportunity in Veterans Education (PROVE)

Service Area: New York City

The following program was awarded grants as part of the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s second 2020 Expedited Grants Portfolio, addressing urgent needs related to COVID-19.

PROVE ensures student veterans on City University of New York (CUNY) campuses have a successful educational journey by aiding them in their transition from the military to a college community. PROVE’s social work interns and experienced field instructors provide high-touch social and emotional support for student veterans as well as short-term crisis intervention and mental health counseling and targeted, well-vetted referrals. Concurrently the PROVE program trains those social work interns in the specific needs and concerns of the modern-day student veteran, and thus increases the military cultural competency of upcoming professional social workers. PROVE’s intervention is especially important in the context of COVID-19, as many student veterans have experienced increased stress levels related to their education, loss of income, challenges accessing technology and internet, and increased feelings of social isolation. This NFL-Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) partnership “Healthy Lifestyles and Creating Community” grant will fund the critical operations of the PROVE program at 7 NYC campuses allowing PROVE’s social work interns and field instructors to foster a supportive community for student veterans throughout the NYC area.