Although founder Rodney Wyatt has been hard at work since 2013 helping homeless veterans, his organization, Salute 2 Service, has been without a headquarters until last Friday afternoon.
Until very recently, all of the planning and work going into the veterans outreach program has been done out of Wyatt’s home. A new facility located at 1705-C Bath Road in Bristol Township will give the organization a proper home to conduct business and help those in need. The facility celebrated its opening with a two hour open house and celebration last week.
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In a little over a month since Salute 2 Service has been in the office space, volunteers have completely renovated the space, creating a place where veterans in need can find hope.
“We were blessed with this facility by Bob Milner,” Wyatt, the founder and director of Salute 2 Service said, adding that Milner was instrumental in bringing the space to the nonprofit and facilitating it for the organization’s needs.
As well as being a physical space and office, the headquarters has a clothing closet and a resource center. Veterans can search for jobs and are able to use dress clothes from Salute 2 Service.
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When the organization began, Salute2Service was focused mainly on holding career fairs for veterans. In these four years, the programs have helped upwards of 500 people. The central location makes sure that more veterans can get help when they need it, Wyatt explained.
“The state does what they can, but it really isn’t enough,” Wyatt said. “We can’t just sit by and watch these men and women who gave so much struggle.”
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In the years since its inception, Salute 2 Service has helped veterans in distress with benefit analysis, advocacy on multiple levels, claims filing and more. One of the services provided is career guidance. This includes resume assistance, job search assistant, job training and career fairs.
State Rep. Tina Davis was at the open house along with other politicians, including Republican Congressional candidate Valarie Mihalek.
The support of local officials goes a long way for Wyatt, a veteran of the Army National Guard and Marine Corps.
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“It definitely means a lot, that they are aware of the need in the community,” Wyatt said.
The biggest needs for the organization now come down to funding and volunteers. You can donate or reach out to volunteer by going to Salute 2 Service’s website.
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The headquarters is open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointments on the weekend.
