Posted by: Kevin Jacobsen
kjacobsen@northlandsnewscenter.com
DULUTH, MINN --- Laid off from his Hotel Maintenance supervisor job in Florida this spring, Marine Corps Vet Larry Pfeifer returned home to Duluth in search of work.
"I came to the Duluth Grill, it's like a second home,” said Pfeifer. “It's like I should have never left.”
The 49 year old considers himself lucky, but knows his fellow Veterans can't always find work as easily.
"A Veteran served the country, they'd be willing to come back in a body bag for us, for our freedoms and liberties,” he said. “If he comes home and doesn't have a house, he can't get a job."
It's a problem the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans can now solve thanks to a financial boost from the US Department of Labor.
MACV received two of 97 grants nationwide. One for the Twin Cities metro area, the other for Northern Minnesota.
"It will give them the opportunity to have permanent employment, give them the opportunity to stabilize their lives, and most importantly give them their pride back as American Citizens,” said Durbin Keeney, the executive director of MAC-V Duluth.
Keeney says he has worked for 10 years to get $120,000 grant for northern Minnesota. The funding will be used to help give Veterans proper job training and placement. Tom Hanson, the co-owner of Duluth Grill has already expressed interest in working with MACV.
"If you're able to expand how you view every candidate, I think it's a constant reminder of our service and what Veterans have done,” said Hanson.
"We have to find employers like Tom who are willing to work with our Veterans based on whatever their skill levels are,” said Keeney.
It's a program Pfeifer says will help many of his comrades get work.
"If this helps one vet, it's worth it; it's amazing what they can do,” said Pfeifer.
MACV says there are currently 4,000 Homeless or near homeless veterans In Minnesota. That’s roughly 1% of the Veteran Population.
More Information:
MACV DULUTH
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