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“Local Non-Profit Company Hit New Heights In Helping Homeless Veterans While Beginning Its Year As A Winner”

CRYSTAL LAKE – 2010 was a very busy year for John Blanchard and NASA Education Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit company. 2011 is ramping up to be an even bigger year for this Crystal Lake based company. Amongst the many successes for NASA Education throughout 2010 is that it has been officially announced that as of January 31, 2011 not only were our very own Chicago Bears number one in their division, while slimly losing out to the Green Bay Packers to represent the National Football Conference in this years Super Bowl, but NASA Education Corporation ended up ranked number one in total commissions and sales, of all non-profit companies who volunteered for concession sales at Soldier Field. Since May of last year, volunteers for NASA Education, coming as far as Indiana and Michigan and who where also trained by Sports Services, provided concession services and sales at Soldier Field to all twenty events; the only non-profit to participate in every event through regular and post season. The proceeds from the concession sales will generate enough funding to assist the participants with travel needs and supply participants of Project Fresh Start a warm, safe place to lay their heads for the winter months; where for most individuals who are homeless, just finding a warm grate on the sidewalk would be a welcomed area for comfort and survival. Even though the season was long, NASA Education will once again be serving up warm food and cold beverages at Soldier Field throughout the 2011 season, trying to retain its top spot for non-profit organizations. If you feel you want to come out and join us, please feel free to contact Program Director, Amy Johnson at the number listed below. We would welcome the new faces and appreciate the generosity of those wanting help. Plus we just have a great time. The first few events planned for early summer are two soccer games in June and the U2 concert in July.

Mr. Blanchard is very appreciative for all of the volunteers who have taken their time to come out to help NASA Education. It is the practice and belief of Mr. Blanchard and NASA Education to do whatever is necessary to remain self-supportive in its initiatives. Any financial support or grants received are used strictly as seed money to get programs started. NASA Education prides itself in being self-sustained, as oppose to being government-sustained. Mr. Blanchard has proven successfully that a non-profit organization can become sufficiently self-funded using the right seed money to start towards a goal and then through utilizing the right resources to achieve its initial goals, causes literally an explosion of accomplishments.

NASA Education is gearing up for its spring Stand Down for Veterans to be held at YMCA Camp Algonquin, located at 1889 Algonquin Rd, in Algonquin, IL on March 21 and 22, 2011. We always welcome volunteers to come out and help us for the two day event. Last fall we welcomed over 250 veterans through the doors and expect the numbers to continue to increase as they have for the last five years of hosting this event.

Besides Soldier Field and our semi-annual Stand Down, we also have the C’Ville Thrift and Resale store, which is located in Meadowdale Shopping Center in Carpentersville, IL that is always looking for volunteer workers. The store is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, with extended hours throughout the summer. Beginning in February, we have instituted our special shopping day for some of our special patrons. Every Wednesday, those 65 years old and older can shop at the store and save 25% off their entire purchase. Also, even bigger than that, is that all members of the American Legion or the VFW can present their membership card, to receive 25% off their total purchase everyday of the week, when the store is open. This is just a small way of showing our appreciation to all of those women and men who have served, or who have had loved ones who have served in our military.

Privately funded, NASA Education is a Crystal Lake-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization who’s main program, Project Fresh Start, offers a community and workforce reintegration program that includes housing, transportation, and training for U.S. veterans who are newly returned, displaced, disabled, homeless or otherwise in transition.

For more information about NASA Education or any of the other initiatives, please contact Amy Johnson at 866-338-4968 (866-EDU-4YOU) or amy_johnson@nasaeducation.org or visit our website at www.nasaed.org.

For more information about NASA Education, contact Amy Johnson, Program Director, at 866-EDU-4YOU (866-338-4968) or send an email to Amy_Johnson@nasaeducation.org