A non-profit foundation donated $7.5 million to Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families, according to a Thursday SU News release.  

The grant from the Schultz Family Foundation will support the IVMF’s Onward to Opportunity, a program that helps veterans prepare for jobs and careers, according to the release. Known as O2O, the program has helped 11,000 veterans and military spouses find careers since its launch in 2016. It is expected to help 4,000 to 4,500 more veterans each year with the new grant, per the release.

The Schultz Family Foundation focuses on post-9/11 veterans, youth outreach and what it calls “responsive giving” — issues like homelessness, health and education and basic needs, according to its website. The foundation has supported the O2O since its inception, per the release. O2O assists veterans in their transition from military service to public or private sector jobs with training and certification programs, per the release.

O2O will now be able to provide training for military service members up to six months before they leave the service, as well as set up jobs months in advance, according to the release. It operates for 18 military institutions and is one of the largest Career Skills Programs, per the release.  

The services provided by O2O are free of charge to transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses, including certifications in information technology project management, human resources and cybersecurity, per the release. Companies such as Apple, JPMorgan Chase and Microsoft have partnered with the program, per the release.