Thursday, August 8th was Military Appreciation Day when the PGA Tour made a stop at Jersey City’s Liberty National Golf Course. The tour’s sponsors showed their appreciation for veterans by giving them access to a private lounge, and had a special surprise for Jersey City’s local veteran community. Northern Trust President of Wealth Management in the East Region, Henry Johnson, surprised Purple Heart recipient, Vietnam War hero and Commander of VFW Post 2294 Tony Goodson with the keys to a brand new 15-passenger van that is going to be outfitted to be wheelchair accessible and will help transport veterans to and from their medical appointments.

VFW Post 2294 was one of the HealthierJC 2018 mini-grantees. They described in great detail what their needs were, and how they would use our grant to assist local veterans. However, it was obvious from their grant application that one of the greatest needs for the local veteran community is getting to and from the special VA hospitals and facilities for medical treatment and care. The Partnership for a Healthier JC and the Jersey City Division of Veterans Affairs were very pleasantly surprised to learn about this generous donation from The Northern Trust because they knew medical transportation was an unfulfilled need for this VFW Post. 

At a very basic level, the ability to visit a doctor is a crucial component to health. Those who live with physical handicaps may not be able to keep regular appointments. This donation will make a big difference in the lives of many local veterans, and will bring us one step closer to our goal of achieving a #HealthierJC!

VFW Post 2294 Commander Tony Goodson shows off his new van

Northern Trust President of Wealth Management in the East Region, Henry Johnson, chats with Tony Goodson and Veterans Affairs Manager Charles Sampson