About AHVF
Posted by admin on Nov 11, 2011 in Featured | 11 comments
What We Are About:
The success of our organization is measured by these questions:
(1) Are the lives of the Veterans we come in contact with positively impacted by our work; and (2) Are the number of Homeless Veterans being reduced as a result of our actions.
- Darrell Bogan, Founder
First Step: Get them to the VA
While at a shelter in Atlanta in early 2010, the Veterans AHVF members spoke with shared that one of the main challenges they faced was transportation to the VA. Because the homeless shelters in Atlanta are over 20+ miles away from the nearest VA, they don’t have the means to make it to their appointments. So AHVF’s initial step in this four step process is to get them to the VA, by providing them bus passes or rides so that they could make their appointments, receive their benefits, and find transitional housing.
Second Step: Reconnect them with their families
There was a homeless Veteran named Raymond who found refuge under the Covington Highway Bridge in Atlanta, GA. Friends of the foundation were able to get him to the VA (First Step) where Bogan visited with him for four hours. During the visit they talked about many things including his family and Raymond was encouraged to reach out to his family. Initially, because of shame, guilt and embarrassment, he was reluctant to do so. After a lengthy conversation, he was convinced to contact his family. They were very excited to hear from him. They had been worried. They didn’t know where he had been. Soon thereafter, they drove to Atlanta and reconnected with him and they stated anew.
Third Step: Help them find Transitional Housing
The VA in collaboration with HUD has a number of resources lined up that could help homeless Veterans locate housing. That is why getting them to the VA is an important step in the process. According to the VA, HUD has allocated over 20,000 “Housing Choice” Section 8 vouchers to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) throughout the country for eligible homeless Veterans. This program allows Veterans and their families to live in Veteran-selected apartment units. The vouchers are portable, allowing Veterans to live in communities where VA case management services can be provided. This program is especially helpful to Veterans with families, women Veterans, recently returning Veterans and Veterans with disabilities.
Fourth Step: Provide Incidentals while in Transition
The incidentals the Foundation will provide are everyday living necessities for a better quality of life, i.e. combs, brushes, shaving cream, deodorant etc… And this is where the American people could get involved. Download the song Reaching for You or DONATE today to help make an impact on the lives of our men and women who help to keep this country safe.
Fifth Step: Beginning fall 2012:
Mentoring
Resume Writing
Interviewing Skills
Job Counseling and Readiness
Assistance with applying for VA Disability Benefits
Assistance with applying for VA Education
Moral Support
Referrals to Other agencies
Job Development
Employment
General Computer training/usage
Pro Bono Legal Services
Housing (At a later date)
Hello! My sister has recommended me to read your resource. And I’d like to say that I really value what you’re providing here.
I officially join the homeless next Monday the 1st of August (homeless as in not having a place to call my own moving in with my 74 y/o mother something I’m not proud of). I’m unable to work, my VA doctor’s have stated I’m unable to work and put it clearly in my medical notes. The Seattle VBA who is responsible for my partial disability pay of $1,227 has taken 9 months so far to decide whether the VA doctors who’ve cared for me for four years can be believed before they shell out a full-time benefit. Nine months to see if the VBA agrees with the VA’s own medical system and no end in sight. Shinseki’s had enough time to fix the problem and it’s gotten worse. I wonder how many homeless veterans have been forced to the street while waiting for the VBA to do its job?
The VA contends that Service Medical Records (SMR’S ) are not rvenlaet to claims becuase they are for periods that are not covered by the law becuase they cover periods preceding the eligibility period. This newest twist is covered in Vet. App. No. 08-4333, Frederick L. Payne, Appealant, v. Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Appellee. The VA states that evidence developed after separation is the legal evidence of record. If the VA decides not to address a issue covered by the service medical records then there will be no medical evidence of record after separation becuase the VA failed in its duty to provide a complete medical examination of all identified and unidentified medical conditions during the compensation and pension process.This is exactly what the DVA is argueing in this particular case, becuase they failed to address issues during the initial examination and then failed to adjudicate the claim because of a failure to issue a Supplemental Statement of Case (SSOC) due to irregulartiy in mailing. The DVA mailed the SSOC to the wrong address, and now take the position that the claims of the veteran are unwarrented becuase of a lack of evidence.I would certainly like the opportunity to discuss this again.
Lizy M,I really feel for your son. We are also hlseoems, and are currently trying to work with the hlseoems coalition. We are making it day to day as they have been out of office for a week. We are pretty much in the same situation, calling every where with no good news, although as a person going through tough times I would like to help in any way I can. I cant give money or shelter, but I can offer a listening ear, and would be more than willing to work with you and him along side my family by trying to find more resources. I know a little about Adhd, as I have an 8 year old, 14 year old with it. I also have it myself. My husband is a recovering drug addict, clean for almost four years. It always helps to have someone to work beside you in this hard time. Two heads are always better than one. It is frustrating I know, but anything is possible and you can never give up. Call me if you would like, mabey we could help each other in some way. 979-402-7651. Tonya
I suggest adding a “google+” button for the blog!
Hellen
Thank so much for this video. You wont believe it, but my boss asked me to create a video for a Powerpoint presentation. I started freaking out since I’ve never done such a task. I saw this video and got it done in 30 min. Thanks a lot AHVF.ORG.
Many thanks for this article and for your site on the whole. I’ve just shared it.
My suggestion on How to help eliminate Veteran Homelessness: PAY VETERANS THEIR BENEFITS PROMPTLY instead of putting them on a hampster wheel of denials. Veterans for Common Sense says it takes an average of 4.4 years for a Veteran to appeal his claim at the BVA. Many Vets can not wait 4 years for their benefits and become homeless while on the long waiting list. The VARO’s keep making the same mistakes, over and over again, denying Veterans and never learning anything from the court cases that reverse the denials.The Veterans Benefit Manual published by Lexis Nexus demonstrates that there are 22 common errors made by the RO’s requiring Veterans to appeal or forfeit their benefits. These common mistakes, repeated by the VARO’s over and over again, result in Veteran homelessness en masse.
I’d like to invite you to take a look at Like’ it for TIME (LIFT). LIFT is a gaotsrross effort to get TIME Magazine to consider the military family as its 2011 Person of the Year.Rudy Giuliani was chosen for Person of the Year following the September 11 attacks because he “embodied what was really most important, what we learned about ourselves, which was that we could recover,” a TIME editor explained.The military family embodies what is most important, what we learned about ourselves, after a decade of war and multiple deployments: undeniable resilience and dogged support through year after year of painful, and sometimes permanent, family separations.With the kind of attention this campaign is trying to generate, the military family will become a topic of conversation among the general public, people will take a greater interest in their experience, that interest will lead to a desire for more education, and that education will lead to awareness and finally empathy. Empathy is needed if there’s ever to be change.
In Maine, even the shelters have [waiting] lists. Cities seem to have no money going into new shelters or housing. Here is a think piece about cold Maine. What Our Government Will Not Tell Us! By Jan LightfootLane. The Deliberately Broken Safety Net The safety net consist of mostly governmental programs who provide food, housing and in case of disability, income. The private sector should make-up for any lack of these programs. Some of these programs in one form or another have existed here, in the states with little improvement, in the past 60 years. Others have been dropped. When the programs fail to work its often due to abuse by the officials, or Official Abuse of its low paid citizens. The Hate the poor crowd overlook most oficial abuse. Since before America became a country, or in the colonial times their have been relief for the poor. As the programs, we today call general relief, general assistance and town welfare. Some near sighted republicans want to remove these. Others call for them to be fixed, to serve every one in need, up to the full necessity to support life. With the election giving the republicans the power, we must fight a long standing injustice as well the new ones. Many facts about the safety net, the security and protection of the thoughtfully composed programs, are hidden by the government and it’s puppet of media. At best, these set of courses, are designed by the upper middle classes, with no thought to the poor attempting to access them. At worst, they are policy, which are intentionally changed according to how gullible those in hardship seems. This means the laws behind the assistance to the poor are UNFAIRLY Applied by the trusted Law givers. Occasionally, these unlawful actions by officials, results in the applicants, physical death. Other times just the death of hope. This whimful application of laws causes the lost belief in justice for all. Such is a violation of both Constitutional and human rights. Such happens with the so called safety net for the disabled, SSI and SSDI. Half of those who seek a lawyer, are find eligible for benefits. And 2/3 of all American on disabilities federal programs, receive LESS Than the price of the rent. Then are called lairs and thieves, when they find the other require monies. As are many TANF Mothers. Why aren’t programs set up to cover 100% of the need? This is democrats need to be calling to happen.Today we focus upon General Relief. Not all states has this. But those who do has state laws which is intended to guide conduct of officials. So with officials twisting the laws, qualified people are denied help. The stated plan of action is put aside, to save money in the short term. Yet the public think help flows freely for all of those who need such. Many programs, are transposed at delivery. This process could be likened to aide workers throwing darts at a photo of the town manager. Then if, the projectile gets him in the nose you are aided. The bogus excuses, are similar in nature no matter what state or town you are in. We lack funds, we helped your cousin twice removed, and we cannot aid you. You have to in town X amount of days, when the law clearly say if you just arrived in town and plan to stay they should be helping you. You are under 18 years of age. And so on.If we call out to the news to inform others of this flaw, the print media refuse’s to print how one guy slept in his car with faulty heater wiring, and burnt to death after the safety net program of General Assistance denied him a place to sleep. Mainstream newspapers refuse to carry editors, telling folks how the eligible are routinely and with illegal thought and actions denied aid. People become and remain homeless due to lies by towns, state, and federal officials.But us Public are comfortable in the illusion, that those in need will be aided. When in fact they Are PUSHED THROUGH THE SAFETY NET. Those in need are told lies, instead of having fairly applied laws be validly given them. Does denying the qualified save money in the long run? No A study of 30 years ago found the un-housed are more likely to be injured, raped, get sick etc. This means hospital bills, lost of hope in the system, and death. It cost more to treat one case of pneumonia than to house 10 families.This lies by officials is a form of income-cide. The killing of those regardless of ethnic background due to lack of poverty. Neglect which causes death of hope or body, is murder. We need to inform the everyday republicans, that many of them also are one step away from needing help. Those blaming the poor, for a state of society leaning toward being barbaric in nature, they are looking in the wrong direction. Whooray for me the heck with other people, is the rallying cry for those blaming their pain on the deliberately underpaid. They needs to widening their gaze, and see the entire picture.This is one of the many things the government does not want you to know.Jan LightfootLane,
Hello,My son is 31 and he is homeless. I am eemterxly worried about him. He needs medication which he can not get because of money and transportation needs and, although he CAN get disability, he doesn’t have an address needed. This is a requirement in order to get his checks. He has to take a class that cost about four hundred dollars in order to get his license to drive. He has to pay child support but since he doesn’t have a job, he can’t pay that. He will go to jail if he doesn’t pay and then the cycle starts. He will be lost, even more so than he already is. Is there anything in Montgomery County, TX as far as places he can go or people that can help him. I’m very worried and hurting over his situation. He was living in a tool shed behind a drug house. The man who was letting him stay in there died, and the girl there boarded up the house. He went to jail but not because he did anything questionable. He is troubled and when the police officer asked him his name he didn’t give the right one, and that is against the law, but he was so much in a fog that he wasn’t thinking clearly. He was using drugs, and during the time in jail he as since given up street drugs because he knows that this in a very self damaging life style. He knows that to be true but got so depressed about his divorce and losing his children that he seemed to just give up. He just needs his prescribed medication and doesn’t want to live life as a drug addict. He is a good person but has some shortcomings due to what he was born with, bipolar and adhd. This isn’t his fault. He has a good heart and the ironic thing is, is that he would help anyone that asked him. His situation is very sad and I am trying to help him find a place to stay since the church (I am not sure of the name of the church) was eemterxly kind in getting him a hotel room for tonight (Nov. 1, 2010) and tomorrow, Tuesday night. After that, he is in the street again with no food and no clothes and no home. He literally owns nothing. He is penniless and has zero assets. Please, if there are any resources available to him I would be forever grateful.Thank you for reading what I have written.Lizzy M.832-388-5285