Tustin, CA – April 19, 2024 – Goodwill of Orange County today opened The Great Room at the Tierney Center for Veteran Services, a collaborative space for veterans, veteran-serving organizations and Orange County community groups to come together to create impact in O.C.
At 11,000 square feet, The Great Room further solidifies the Tierney Center as a destination for collaborative and comprehensive veteran services. This new resource provides space and opportunity for Orange County organizations to convene and work together to create positive change and impact for veterans and the larger O.C. population.
The grand opening was marked with a celebratory ribbon cutting attended by 50+ veteran service organizations, members of the Orange County Veteran and Military Families Collaborative, representatives from the offices of Congressman Lou Correa, Congresswoman Young Kim and Congresswoman Michelle Steel, and community members.
“We hope the opening of The Great Room is the spark for more collaboration and more impact here in Orange County,” said Nicole Suydam, President and CEO of Goodwill of Orange County. “The Great Room brings us closer to our vision for the Tierney Center to be the place for community-based, person-centered collaboration for veteran-serving organizations and Orange County businesses to work together, solve problems and innovate new solutions.”
Funding from several individuals and organizations helped bring The Great Room to life, including $300,000 in community projects funding support from Congressman Lou Correa.
Features of The Great Room include:
- 11,000 square feet for convertible space planning, accommodating small and large-scale meetings
- Technology for virtual meetings and presentations
- Three private office spaces for closed or confidential meetings
- A kitchen and eating area
The Tierney Center for Veteran Services has served more than 11,500 veterans since its founding in 2016. The center is named after philanthropists Thomas T. and Elizabeth C. Tierney who gave a transformational gift to establish the County’s first comprehensives resource center for veterans living in Orange County.
Spearheaded by Goodwill of Orange County with a host of community partners and organizations, available veteran services at the Tierney Center include employment services, emergency financial assistance, peer support services, basic needs, veteran housing, V.A. benefit navigation, legal assistance, and more. Access to these services is free for veterans and their families.
Organizations interested in utilizing The Great Room for meetings, collaboration or events can contact Michael Carter, Operations Manager of the Tierney Center for Veteran Services at michaelc@ocgoodwill.org.
The Tierney Center for Veteran Services is located at 1231 Warner Ave., Tustin, CA 92780.
For more information about the Tierney Center for Veteran Services, powered by Goodwill of Orange County, visit tierneycenter.com.
About Goodwill of Orange County
Goodwill of Orange County helps people achieve their goals through a journey of personal support, work experience and career development. Celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2024, Goodwill has connected hundreds of thousands of individuals to opportunity through quality training and education programs, supportive employment services for people with developmental and physical disabilities, on-site job coaching, community integration programs, veteran employment services, and more. As a nonprofit employment social enterprise, Goodwill operates a collection of 24 retail venues throughout Orange County, including five OC Goodwill Boutiques and its e-commerce platform ShopGoodwill.com, to support these transformative programs and services. To learn more about Goodwill of Orange County, visit ocgoodwill.org.
