WASHINGTON—December 5, 2011—The Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit seeking to help veterans transition back to the civilian workforce, announced a donation of $100,000 to the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation (BPW Foundation). BPW Foundation will use the funds to assist women veterans with education and training programs and employment opportunities.

Colonel Alan Baldwin, (USMC-Ret.), an advisory council member with the Call of Duty Endowment, said, “As our military heroes return home from combat, they not only face a rough economy, but also have a difficult time finding employment in the civilian workforce.  Unemployment among post 9-11 female veterans is higher than their male counterparts. The Call of Duty Endowment is proud to partner with the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation to help our female veterans with the necessary resources to find meaningful employment.”

BPW Foundation will launch its “Joining Forces for Women Veteran’s Mentoring Project,” building pilot projects in New York City, Chicago, and Washington D.C. as models for national replication in other regions. Thousands of women veterans and military spouses will be connected with resources and employment opportunities. The grant from the Endowment will specifically be used to recruit a minimum of 1,000 women veterans and military spouses as mentors and mentees.

Deborah L. Frett, CEO of BPW Foundation, said, “BPW Foundation thanks the Call of Duty Endowment for its continued push to ensure women veterans receive job training and placement assistance.  Our partnership will ensure that by the end of the first year of the Joining Forces for Women Veterans and Military Spouses Mentoring Project, at least 300 women veterans will enter into meaningful employment or education and training programs through the funds provided by the Endowment.”

The grant was announced at the most recent stop on the Purpose Driven Rehab Fall Tour – a Miami Dolphins NFL home game in Miami, Florida. The Call of Duty Endowment recently teamed up with the Pro vs. GI Joe’s sponsored tour – a military support initiative in which wounded veterans manage events at some of the biggest sporting venues across the country. This program gives purpose and responsibility to rehabbing veterans, while also bringing national awareness to veterans’ issues.

Since Activision, the worldwide online and console video game publisher and producer of the Call of Duty® video game franchise, established the Call of Duty Endowment in November of 2009, it has delivered more than $1,500,000 in grants and scholarships to assist returning veterans with post military career help.  This past Veterans Day, Activision committed another $3 million to the Endowment and pledged to find 1,000 jobs for veterans.

About the Call of Duty Endowment:

The Call of Duty Endowment is a non-profit, public benefit corporation created by Activision Blizzard. The Endowment seeks to help organizations that provide job placement and training for veterans. For more information about the Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org.

About Business and Professional Women’s Foundation: