This non-profit wants veterans to vote

With less than 100 days until the 2020 election, Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) has a core mission of serving America's post 9/11 veterans. It is with this in mind that they launched The Vote Hub.

"We are absolutely bi-partisan, 100 percent. We got the idea for The Vote Hub from anecdotal things we were hearing from the community… The process is just so confusing," Hannah Sinoway, Executive Vice President of Organization, Strategy and Engagement for IAVA explained. She shared experiences of moving and hitting roadblocks on even being able to register to vote as a veteran spouse herself. More challenges exist this year with COVID-19.

"This effort was really with one goal: to provide simple and easy access for veterans and civilians alike to be able to register to vote and/or to find polling information," Sinoway said. "So, we built the tool on our website, which is completely free… we don't even take anyone's information."

She explained that the new IAVA tool is for the people and not for any other reason. "We are excited to have people exercise their right to vote, use their voice and be heard," Sinoway said.

Voting for military members and their families has long been a struggle, with certain studies finding that as much as 67 percent of their absentee votes haven't been counted. One study in 2009 called it an obstacle course. "When we look at veterans, they fought for the rest of us along the way for pretty much all of our freedoms. To be able to have this tool available to them and their community, we felt was really important," Sinoway said.

IAVA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization established in 2004. Founded by Army Iraq War Veteran Paul Rieckhoff, it was created to make a space for resources and community for the veterans of the post-9/11 era. They are headquartered in New York City and have a policy office in Washington, D.C., as well. They've grown and evolved to continue supporting veterans and ensuring they are honored.

Membership to IAVA is completely free to veterans. Their website states, "Members all paid their dues while serving our country. Our members are true heroes." Their 2018 impact report indicates that they are currently connecting, empowering and uniting over 400,000 veterans and allies nationwide.

Sinoway herself is the longest tenured employee with IAVA and has been working for the company for almost seven years. "It's honestly been the privilege of a lifetime," she shared. She continued, "The social justice aspect of our work, I kind of have that in my blood. There are groups of people who don't have a voice or a strong enough voice and we are that strength to bring them beside us -- not to fight for them but fight with them. I think that's been the best part for me."

IAVA plans to continue the fight to ensure justice for America's post 9/11 veterans as well as support all veterans with resources and initiatives. To learn more about IAVA and The Vote Hub click here.