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Strategic Initiatives

Veteran’s Community Initiative

In 2024, The Duchossois Family Foundation and Tullman Family Office partnered with the Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy to launch the Veteran’s Community Initiative. This collaboration aimed to identify the social, emotional, and practical challenges veterans face when transitioning to civilian life.

The final report includes a summary of the current state of veteran support systems, a framework for what comprehensive transition support can look like, and philanthropic opportunities to support veterans, their families, and the veteran support ecosystem.

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Growth and transformation for our veterans

Why it’s important

Simply put, supporting the veteran population is critical. They are often overlooked, and with reduced aid from the government, there is an increased need for private funding. There are hundreds of thousands of veterans in Illinois and over 200,000 leave the military in the U.S. each year. Suicide rates are at an epidemic level and economic insecurity is almost ubiquitous.

How we help

TDFF can help make a difference in the lives of those who have given so much to our nation. With our support, veterans can access job services, career opportunities, and continuing education, which lead to reductions in housing and food insecurity. Mental health, nutrition, and exercise can be attended to, in order to help diminish social isolation, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder. And sometimes, it’s a matter of pointing veterans to the resources that already exist, so they can navigate and access them.

Looking ahead

TDFF has begun by making a handful of small gifts, but our vision is big and our plans are exciting. We are already working with organizations — often new and led by the veterans themselves — that are supporting the veteran community. And we have committed to ramping up these efforts with multi-year gifts that will enable us to build relationships and increase impact.