Local businesses help veterans find jobs

Vets Fair offers hundreds job interview help

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The Town of Hempstead Veterans Job Fair welcomed local businesses, veterans, and job seekers to an afternoon packed with employment opportunities at Levittown Hall in Hicksville last week.

The job fair on July 31, sponsored by Hempstead Town Councilman Dennis Dunne, Sr., Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney and the Town of Hempstead Department of Occupational Resources, hosted roughly 250 job seekers and veterans in the hall before noon.

“It’s really heartwarming to see the turnout of the businesses for one and then the turnout of those looking [for jobs],” Dunne said.

The Department of Occupational Resources does a lot for people seeking jobs, such as welcoming Long Island Harvest to DOOR’s office in Hempstead once a month to host a food drive, according to Dunne.

It took about two months for the job fair to be organized, Dunne said. Sponsors made sure people knew about the event by putting up flyers and posting them to social media, as well as reaching out to media organizations. Seventy businesses set up booths in the hall.

“If you go through [the rows of booths] you’re gonna see all these incredible people that came together to make this a grand slam,” Dunne said.

However, the fair was open to all job seekers, both veteran and non-veteran. According to Dunne, if a veteran walked into the event with their relative, the relative had the opportunity to look around and inquire about a job as well.

“I’m blown away by the incredible turnout,” Dunne said.

According to Dunne’s office, over 47 veterans attended the job fair.

Dave Yagy, president of Jericho-based Property Development Group, came to the job fair searching for a veteran from any service branch who was looking for a leg-up in the construction industry. Yagy said he loved everything going on at the event.

“I’d like to really see more vets here,” Yagy said. “There seems to be a lot of the community [here] which is great, everybody needs a job, but we are specifically looking to hire veterans.”

Yagy’s business partner at Property Management Group, Jim Kavanaugh, said he was proud to a part of the event, and he was grateful for people like Dunne. Kavanaugh is a Wantagh resident, and son of a Korean War Veteran.

Job seekers attended the event in formal attire to be ready for an interview, Dunne said. In addition to interacting with the local businesses’ booths, job seekers could attend a lecture on how to prepare for an interview.

“So many of the veterans are looking for jobs,” Dunne said. “They got laid off, or their business left town or they are tired of going into the city.”

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9592 had a booth at the job fair. Commander Matthew De Gregorio said the organization helps veterans coming back from combat, directing veterans to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs where they can get medical help, as well as supporting them in any other ways the veterans need.

De Gregorio said the fair is a great opportunity for the employer as well as the employees.

“I think it’s a wonderful experience,” De Gregorio said. “I get goosebumps about it now, because I’m thrilled that we’re reaching out to the veteran’s community.”

De Gregorio said Dunne was the former commander of Post 9592.

“I was in the Marine Corps in Vietnam . . .,” Dunne said. “That’s why I’ve taken care of veterans my whole life. The men and women who’ve served our country, I was in the hospital with them and I’ve seen them lose their limbs and I’ve seen them die … I gotta take care of our guys.”

The Town of Hempstead was set on Aug. 7 to consider a proposal to give veteran-owned businesses preference when it comes to awarding town contracts.