Our Mission and Vision
Mission
To become a network of job placement for military vets on the First Coast.
Vision
To become a source of encouragement and support for vets who suffer from the invisible wounds of PTSD.
The Zellner Foundation for Military Vets is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. Donate Now.
Our Ambassador Of Goodwill
Suzie DeLeon has become the heart and soul of The Zellner Foundation for Military Vets. From the moment we met, at the end of 2019, we recognized the fighting spirit of those who struggle to overcome the invisible wounds of PTSD.
Suzie is a combat Navy veteran and a single mother of a three-year-old boy, who took an opportunity and ran with it to the finish line. Based on her resume and banking experience, The Zellner Foundation was able to secure two job interviews in less than a month.
Nevertheless, it was her success during the hiring process that exceeded, not only our expectations, but mostly her own. The confidence Suzie had lost while battling PTSD and other physical conditions derived from her service, came back roaring. All she needed was a positive attitude and a little bit of hope.
Since January of 2020, Suzie has been a key member of the Personal Banking Team at one of the founding supporters of our Job Placement Program in Jacksonville, Florida.
Suzie told us that we saved her life. We wish her story and experience will save others. Click here in you want to contribute to achieve our mission.
You Can Donate Now!
We are pleased to announce that the IRS determined our 501(c)(3) eligibility. Donors can now write-off contributions made to The Zellner Foundation for Military Vets. Call (904) 832-1586 if you want to deposit a check, or click here to donate now!
Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
The Beginning
Before Thanksgiving 2018, Karalee Sievert, a Navy veteran and the Senior Personal Lines Agent at Zellner Insurance Agency, met Ramonia Diallo, a Combat Casualty Visiting Nurse who at the time worked for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) in Jacksonville.
Touched by the stories of veterans in hardship, Karalee shared the information with our company staff. Shortly after, we created a small fund-raiser to which all our employees contributed.
On December 3rd, my husband and CEO of Zellner Insurance, Jeff Spadafora, Karalee, and yours truly, Xiomara Spadafora, Vice President, had the privilege to meet 1st Sgt. Michael Lippencott, an active member of the Marine Corps who became the recipient of our Christmas donation.
Sgt. Lippencott is a father of four. He joined the Marine Corps in 1996 in Chantilly, VA, and since then, he had completed seven tours of duty to Iraq and Afghanistan for the operations Iraq Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and New Dawn.
Needless to say, the wounds of his sacrifice to defend our country’s freedom are not only the ones he bears on his body, but also the ones on his soul. Continue reading “The Beginning”
