Paralyzed Veterans Mission: ABLE Awards Honor Outstanding Contributions to the Nation’s Veterans
WASHINGTON, DC – 9/20/17 Last night, Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) welcomed approximately 480 esteemed guests to its 12th annual Mission: ABLE Awards. The event achieved record attendance and included guests from all over the nation, including distinguished service members, veterans, friends and supporters of Paralyzed Veterans to honor its 2017 Mission: ABLE Award recipients. Presiding over the ceremonies was former Under Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Patrick Murphy, along with Dr. David Shulkin, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who gave the evening’s keynote address.
“I am honored to join Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Mission: ABLE Awards in recognizing and celebrating the immense power of partnership and collaboration. The entire Paralyzed Veterans of America leadership team and their staff are fighting hard for Veterans every day. They are always there when veterans are in need, and they are always by VA’s side, guiding us toward the right decisions for veterans with spinal cord injury or disease. We couldn’t ask for a better partner,” Shulkin said in his remarks.
The annual awards raised a record $750,000 from corporate supporters in advance of the event. These funds will benefit Paralyzed Veterans’ programs and services, including benefits and employment assistance, and rehabilitative sports opportunities, all of which are provided free to veterans.
“We celebrate this year’s honorees and thank them and all of our supporters for their investment in and commitment to Paralyzed Veterans of America’s mission to ensure veterans have access to the jobs, care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve,” said David Zurfluh, National President of Paralyzed Veterans. “Their active and continued partnership is critical to the continued success we have advocating on behalf of our nation’s veterans.”
The Mission: ABLE Awards honor those individuals and organizations who have dedicated themselves to creating an America where our nation’s disabled heroes are able to fully live the lives they deserve and access what they need most: Health Care, Benefits and Jobs.
The 2017 Mission: ABLE Awards Category Winners
The Mission: ABLE Awards that are given on this special evening are in recognition of a continued commitment to our paralyzed veterans and their families and include the following:
The Achieve: ABLE Award
Honoring Penske Automotive Group
For leadership and financial support of Paralyzed Veterans’ mission to ensure disabled veterans have access to Care, Jobs and Benefits
The Employ: ABLE Award
Honoring the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF)
For leadership to end veterans unemployment
The Sustain: ABLE Award
Honoring Altria
For leadership and financial support of Paralyzed Veterans’ mission and Paralyzed Veterans’ programs and services
The Humanitarian Award
Honoring Rich Brooks
For outstanding contributions to support disabled veterans
Event Sponsors: Special thanks and recognition was given to the following partners of the 2017 Mission: ABLE Awards who helped make the evening possible with their continued support of Paralyzed Veterans’ mission.
Presenting Sponsor: Leidos
Platinum Sponsors: Penske Automotive Group and Penske Truck Leasing
Gold Sponsors: Technatomy, USAA, Microsoft and YRCI
Silver Sponsors: Booz Allen Hamilton, UPS, Express Scripts, ByLight, Highmark, and Target MarkeTeam
Bronze Sponsors: ACET, Altria, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Cerner, CGI Federal, Cushman & Wakefield, Deltek, Favor TechConsulting, LLC, Halfaker and Associates, LLC, HUB Labels, Humana Military, IVMF, Liberty IT Solutions, PMX Agency, Redfield Direct LLC / Southwest Caging, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, United Healthcare Military & Veterans, and Walgreens;
Patron Sponsors: AbleVets, Allergan, Alliance Labs/Summit Pharmaceuticals, B3 Group, Biogen, CA Technologies, Celgene, Cognosante, Concept Plus, LLC, DeGasperis Family Foundation, Disabled American Veterans, GetWell Network, GovernmentCIO, Insignia Technology Services, KForce Government Solutions, Inc., MainStreet Bank, National Government Services (ANTHEM), Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, Pro-Sphere Tek, Planned Systems International, Shipcom Wireless, Smith & Nephew, and VetsEZ
To obtain photos from the event visit: https://www.flickr.com/paralyzedveterans.
To learn more about the Mission: ABLE Awards: click here
