SHRM Foundation Receives $385,000 to Assist Servicemembers, Veterans, and Families Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic

​ALEXANDRIA, Va., August 24, 2020—Today, as part of a historic commitment by USAA's Military Family Relief Initiative, the SHRM Foundation will receive $385,000 to assist military and their families during these challenging economic times. The donation will allow the SHRM Foundation to further robust and meaningful employment for the military community through a renewed case for support and solutions to educating and training HR professionals around the incalculable value of hiring and retaining veterans for their workforce and to ensure no one is left behind in the military community.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant and negative financial impact on military members and their families. According to research from the COVID-19 Military Support Initiative, 25 percent of active military families have been separated from their servicemember due to deployment or pandemic-supporting activations. Thirty percent of military spouses are expected to experience unemployment, nearly three times the level of their civilian peers. 

"The SHRM Foundation is incredibly grateful for USAA Foundation/USAA's continued investment in our critical work to empower HR professionals to attract, hire, and retain members of the military community. In order to help employers prepare for post COVID-19 employment, the SHRM Foundation has committed to providing SHRM's membership base of 300,000 HR professionals and people managers with the tools and resources they need to actively and effectively recruit and retain members of the military community. USAA's financial commitment to the SHRM Foundation is further evidence of the fact USAA is committed to never leaving any members of the military community behind.  We, too, prioritize the military community's preparation to meet the demands of the workplace," stated Wendi Safstrom, Executive Director of the SHRM Foundation. 

"For nearly a century, USAA's mission has been to help our members be financially secure and to support them no matter what they face," USAA President and CEO Wayne Peacock said. "Providing this contribution to organizations such as the SHRM Foundation that share our mission to care for military families does double duty. It helps meet the needs of today's military families and veterans. And it gives these organizations momentum to keep serving as a lifeline for the military community."

MEDIA: Contact Julie Hirschhorn at Julie.Hirschhorn@shrm.org and 703-842-5152 or Cooper Nye at Cooper.Nye@shrm.org and 703-535-6447.

About SHRM Foundation

The SHRM Foundation is the 501(c)(3) philanthropic arm of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM.)  Founded in 1966, the SHRM Foundation inspires and empowers HR professionals to unlock human potential and lead social change in the workplace and beyond.  Its purpose is to elevate and empower HR as a social force through mobilizing the power of HR and the generosity of donors to lead positive social change impacting work, workers and the workplace.   This vision creates a world of work that works for all.  The SHRM Foundation has the potential to impact 115 million workers and their families globally, through SHRM's 300,000 members and beyond, through its robust programming and resources, meaningful partnerships and evidenced-based research that educate and empower HR professionals to hire diverse talent, build inclusive workplaces and help employees find purpose at work and beyond.