This Week is “Invest In Veterans Week®”: Northeast Delta Dental's $300,000 Grant Exemplifies Nation-Leading Commitment to Veteran Health Equity
This Week is “Invest In Veterans Week®.” As highlighted in a featured post by Let’s Move To Maine, Northeast Delta Dental has awarded a transformative $300,000 grant to the Maine Veterans Dental Network, extending critical oral healthcare access to veterans who do not qualify for dental services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This milestone grant, part of a steadily growing investment since 2021, now positions Maine as a national model in bridging the civilian-military care gap through localized, non-federal solutions.
This initiative, which began with a $35,000 seed grant, has already enabled more than 1,100 veterans to receive dental treatment through 23 nonprofit clinics across the state. Services range from routine cleanings to complex surgical interventions. The program operates under the leadership of Northeast Delta Dental CEO Thomas Raffio, who emphasizes the urgency of proactive investment:
“You can’t have good overall health without good oral health. And for veterans, it’s about dignity, confidence, and quality of life.”
Raffio, a Harvard graduate and recipient of Business NH Magazine’s 2024 Influential Leaders Award, attributes the program’s momentum to the failure of federal eligibility thresholds—where nearly 9 in 10 veterans are denied VA dental benefits. “We didn’t wait for D.C. to act. We acted,” he said.
National Invest In Veterans Week®: From Local Acts to Federal Doctrine
Launched in 2019, National Invest In Veterans Week® is the only congressionally honored civic framework explicitly designed to shift veteran support from ceremonial observance to institutional investment. Through a network of legislative endorsements, executive proclamations, and public-private sector activations, the week has become a national inflection point for veteran inclusion and infrastructure building.
From Maine to California, and across 21 international markets, the phrase “Invest In Veterans” is now more than a slogan—it is a federally trademarked and policy-aligned economic lens.
Public Policy Convergence: From Albany to Washington, D.C.
New York State Assemblyman Jake Ashby (R-Castleton) helped anchor this national momentum when he called for a $500 million investment in veterans as part of the 2022–2023 state budget. The proposed package would fund housing, mental health, and community-based service organizations.
“This is about scaling quality services across the state for nearly one million veterans,” Ashby said at the Capitol.
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Meanwhile, in the federal sphere, Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI) has reintroduced the Veterans Fellowship Act, a bipartisan initiative enabling states to use federal workforce funding to establish fellowship programs for transitioning service members. The legislation is rooted in the same philosophy that drives National Invest In Veterans Week®: that veterans deserve more than thanks—they deserve investment.
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Massachusetts as a Financial Inclusion Case Study
In Massachusetts, Steve Croteau, director of the Veterans’ Bonus Division, underscored the state’s role in delivering direct financial resources to service members. The division distributed $1.2 million in bonuses in 2023 alone, including new “Money After Military” educational content to help veterans build financial literacy post-transition.
“This is more than a check. It’s a foundation for economic stability.”
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Charter Communications and the Private Sector’s Role
Private industry is also aligning with the movement. Charter Communications, through its Spectrum brand, now operates a Nationally Recognized Broadband Field Technician Apprenticeship Program available in 41 states. The program provides veterans with on-the-job training, GI Bill benefits, and opportunities for long-term career mobility.
“Being a Field Technician at Spectrum is more than a job. It’s a career that develops as you do,” says the company’s career portal.
Academic Leadership: Ithaka S+R Challenges Selective Colleges
In a thought-provoking op-ed for The Hechinger Report, Cappy Hill, Managing Director of Ithaka S+R, called on elite universities to integrate veterans more fully into their admissions strategies.
“These institutions educate future leaders. Including veterans in that equation is a moral and civic imperative.”
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A National Week of Convergence and Action
This year’s Invest In Veterans Week® has been marked by synergy across sectors—from oral healthcare in Maine to state budget advocacy in New York, and from federal workforce legislation to local hiring pipelines. Each action reinforces the initiative’s founding belief: military service is an investment in the nation that demands a reciprocal, structured return.
As highlighted in this public endorsement, the $300,000 grant from Northeast Delta Dental is not merely a transaction. It’s a blueprint. It reflects a new paradigm of impact—one measured not in ceremonies, but in outcomes.
To learn more about the programs featured in this article, visit:
