Charlie-Mike Foundation was founded in Las Vegas with a purpose to aid veterans in finding economic stability and a long-term career. Mike Del Prado, founder of the Charlie-Mike Foundation and Chief Executive Officer of Executive Option LLC, discusses the nonprofit’s goals for 2023 and how readers can be a part of its vital mission.
What is the mission of the Charlie-Mike Foundation (CMF)? Charlie-Mike Foundation’s goal is to help veterans find economic stability through a reliable, purposeful and long-term career. Charlie-Mike Foundation was created with the mission of helping existing veterans—as well as service members transitioning out of the military into the civilian world—gather the skills and resources they will need to find professional success. We’ve hosted resume-building workshops, helped veterans connect with community and industry leaders and teamed up with other local and national organizations to address veterans’ issues beyond professional placement. We also collaborate with employers and other organizations so we can better understand how to equip veterans with the best tools to achieve their goals. If our corporate partners have job opportunities, we then connect them with veterans seeking employment.
What is the meaning of “Charlie-Mike”? “Charlie-Mike” is military jargon for “continue mission,” and describes pushing through adversity no matter the difficulties. It is typically used during operations when someone is in a position to act; the phrase is used to give a green light to execute. We chose the name for our nonprofit because we wanted to emphasize that, after leaving the service, veterans still have a responsibility to continue the mission—just with a newfound purpose.
What prompted the start of the foundation? Charlie-Mike Foundation was born from my experience as a Navy veteran, a minority business owner and a father of a veteran. Having been through the military-to-civilian transition with few resources, I understand the difficulties and the journey the veteran community encounters when separating from military life. Also, I genuinely believe we should give back to the individuals who have made great sacrifices, which represents the primary reason I founded Charlie-Mike Foundation.
What is the greatest reward in being involved with Charlie-Mike Foundation? Our foundation’s greatest reward comes from successfully supporting veterans and active-duty military transitioning into civilian life by helping them find a career where they can grow and have a sense of belonging and purpose. CMF puts together a personalized plan with its member veterans, enabling them to transfer the valuable skills they bring from the military into their new career, setting them up for success.
What is the biggest challenge the nonprofit faces? Our biggest challenge has been gaining awareness within the veteran community in Las Vegas. Although we are a relatively new organization, we are excited to grow and support as many veterans as we can. Nevada has numerous nonprofits focused on veterans, but none of them address all the issues veterans may face, including the transition to civilian life, housing, employment assistance, mental health support and more. Our mission enables us to address these gaps through assistance provided to our veteran community, which is why it is crucial we continue to raise awareness of Charlie-Mike Foundation and its resources.
In what ways, if any, has the pandemic affected the foundation? The last few years have taken a toll on most organizations and people’s lives. The pandemic affected our ability to conduct veteran outreach and host events, but we offered virtual options and events that followed safety protocols to continue assisting whenever we could. Also, the impact of the pandemic on the job market made it difficult for veterans to find opportunities to apply for jobs. Through our workshop events, which include resume-building, we were able to identify remarkable talent among the local veteran community, including individuals we placed with our corporate sponsor, Executive Option. These professionals are still employed to this day, providing enormous value to Executive Option’s team.
What are your goals for the new year? Our goals for 2023 are to continue to serve a greater number of veterans in our community in meaningful ways. We intend to reach these deserving individuals and connect them to resources as soon as they need them, with improved case management to support them. We also plan to have more workshops to foster networking and better prepare veterans to enter the workforce.
How can readers help? Any help is greatly appreciated! People can volunteer at our events hosted throughout the year, donate funds and essentials and make purchases through Amazon Smile and Smith’s Rewards. For those interested in contributing, visit charliemikefoundation.org to find out how.
Does the foundation have any events or fundraisers on the horizon? We just hosted our annual Adopt-a-Family event, during which we assisted 15 local families by providing essentials, clothes and toys for the holidays. CMF looks forward to hosting its Caffeinate and Collaborate informational events, where veterans can learn about the resources Charlie-Mike offers to address their needs, as well as resource workshops focused on skills such as resume building in 2023. We will also be hosting our Annual Car Wash Fundraiser in 2023. To see upcoming Charlie-Mike events, visit charliemikefoundation.org.