Photo: U.S. Vets, Liberty Pointe, Prescott
People often bump into veterans at the grocery store, the gas station, wherever it may be – and thank them for their service. It is the least we can do for those who sacrificed so much for our freedoms.
But what about those standing on street corners holding up ‘help’ signs, what is the least we can do for veterans who are struggling? What is the most?
At U.S. VETS – Prescott we do our utmost to serve veterans who have fallen on hard times. The mission of our nonprofit organization is to provide a safety net of services to veterans and their families experiencing homelessness and support them as they transition to permanent housing. We do this through our housing program, career counseling, mental health support, substance use treatment, and more.
Our work is essential in Yavapai County. The county is home to a large veteran population, many of whom served in Vietnam, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Research shows that veterans are at greater risk of homelessness because they can face physical, mental, and social issues stemming from combat and stress. These risk factors, coupled with the cost of living and northern Arizona’s tight housing market, can leave veterans vulnerable.
Funding helps us break down these financial barriers. With a combined $187,000 in Mobilize AZ grant funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona in recent years, we have been able to successfully bridge some gaps and help those who need it most. The funding enabled increased outreach and access to mental, physical, and substance use treatments.
Expanding on the Mobilize AZ public health initiative, we recently received an additional grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Foundation for Community & Health Advancement that gave us the opportunity to hire a veteran support specialist. This funding will help us connect an anticipated 200 veterans who live with conditions like PTSD to life-changing care, and we are already seeing the impact.
A 51-year-old female veteran returned to our program after completing drug treatment. She had no income and was looking for a stable place to stay while she continued to work on her mental health and substance use treatment needs. While in our housing program, she was able to obtain her 100% VA Service Connect Disability rating which is given to Disabled Veterans with extremely severe service-connected conditions. She recently purchased a car, moved into her own rental, and is working with our Aftercare Case Management team to help ensure continued success.
There is a 70-year-old male veteran amputee who has been in our program for seven months. In that brief time, he has accomplished a great deal: his health stabilized, he received a prosthetic leg, completed rehabilitation to walk with his prosthetic, completed a driving course to have his vehicle modified for hand controls, and was even voted Veteran of the Month by his peers! While juggling all this progress, he continues to work on his housing search.
These stories and outcomes are the reason we do what we do. We give veterans the tools and resources to enhance their quality of life, but their will and hard work make it happen – and make it last.
U.S. VETS continues to work toward our mission of supporting veterans’ long-term stability and identifying affordable housing options. We are currently working on a large housing project on the Prescott Veterans Affairs (VA) campus that will have more than 100 units for senior, low-income veterans. This project will not only provide much-needed housing but also a sense of community where veterans can lean on one another and thrive.
None of this would be possible without the volunteers, generous donors, partners, and funders who also ask themselves, “what is the most we can do for our veterans?” We hope you are inspired to support our veteran community, too.
