Towards the end of the civil war President Lincoln gave his second inaugural address that contained the following charge even more urgent in today’s society, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan.”

These timeless words adorn the Veterans Administration in Washington D.C. and serve as the mission statement of the agency. The business community is doing its part to care, honor and provide for our nation’s heroes and their families.

On Thursday, July 26, 80 employers, who all have jobs available, will be at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn for a job fair specifically for veterans and their spouses. The response from the area business community has been overwhelming and registration is full for employers, but we need your help and assistance spreading the word to veterans.

Tell your neighbors, friends, and fellow parishioners, anyone who has a connection to a veteran. This job fair is for them. The least we can do after their tremendous service is to help them find a job. There is no charge to attend and all of the companies at the fair have open positions.

As more and more veterans return home to an economy already struggling to keep up with the demand for jobs, the Chamber has taken on a special mission to do our part to provide our nation’s heroes opportunities to find employment.

Businesses from across the country have joined in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative. Already 200 job fairs have been held across the country and we’re not done yet.

The 80 employers participating in the July 26 fair range from America's biggest employers to dozens of small companies from across the state. Individuals with all backgrounds and experience levels are welcome. Interested job seekers should register for free at hoh.greatjob.net, though walk-in registration is also welcome.

Many of us took extra steps to show our support for the troops while they were deployed overseas and it is just as important that the men and women of the military know that we still care now that they have returned home.

The job fair at College of DuPage is part of “Hiring 500,000 Heroes”, an initiative launched by the U.S. Chamber, National Chamber Foundation and Capital One to encourage businesses to employ 500,000 veterans and military spouses by 2014.

We thank all of the wonderful partners and officials who are helping with the upcoming fair. In the coming months we’ll partner together again to provide another opportunity for area companies to meet with and take applications from the local veterans community.

Please take a moment and reach out to any veteran or their spouse that you know. For those struggling to re-enter the workforce after their deployment, there is no summer vacation. Help us match talented veterans with the companies looking to hire them.

The job fair takes place at the Glen Ellyn campus of College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd. The fair opens at 9 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m., preregistration saves time at the event, but is not required.

Tami Andrew is interim president & CEO of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, the largest suburban Chamber in Illinois. She can be reached at 630-544-3356.