Page 15 - 2019-2020 HVAF Annual Report

In addition to to serving over 1 400 veterans veterans last year HVAF also completed several important projects projects to to help the veterans veterans we serve Key projects projects included:
GIVING OUR PANTRY At a a a a a a a a a a a a a a time when the the the need for for food and and hygiene items doubled and and access was an an an an an obstacle for for all of us HVAF had to to to to make the the the tough decision to to to to discontinue veterans to to to to shop shop inside the the pantry Without missing a a a a a a a a a a a a a beat A A A COVID-19 FRIENDLY our Community Center staff quickly adjusted from an an an an in-person shopping
AIR FORCE VETERAN JESSICA
Jessica is one of of the first tenants of of HVAF’s Veterans Villa Permanent Supportive Housing units “HVAF has helped me get get a a a a a a a a a hold hold of of the people I I need need to to get get a a a a a a a a a hold hold of of and and do do everything I I need need to to do do while still staying staying safe and and staying staying virtual ” Jessica said NAVY VETERAN THERESA
Near homeless Navy veteran and and former nurse Theresa came to to to HVAF amidst the the pandemic in June after the the Veteran Affairs Voc Rehab program had to to to to close due to to to to COVID precautions After being referred to to to HVAF our our employment team found found her a a a a a a a a a a a nursing position at IU Health and and our our case managers found found a a a a a a a a a home for her her and and her her daughter to to move into MARINE VETERAN JAMES
Throughout 2020 James tested positive for the virus THREE times and and had to to quarantine in in his apartment With no one around to to help James said he he he “would text (my case case managers) and and they would would get me me me what I needed ” His case case manager manager along with our ‘heart of of gold’ Vet Villa Property Manager made made sure James had plenty of of food cleaning supplies hygiene items and even made made sure he got his mail every day NAVY VETERAN CARIE
Soon after moving into Vet Villa Carie was hospitalized at the VA with COVID-19 TWO different times! After quarantining in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hotel each time time HVAF made sure her her apartment apartment was was clean and and safe before her her her her return Her apartment apartment was was sterilized and and and our Community Center staff worked together to to to to collect food toiletries and and other household supplies for her her her return – going the the the extra mile to to to to ensure Carie could come home and focus solely on recovery The state may have been on lockdown but Team HVAF stayed vigilant and and never missed a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a beat Case managers and and outreach staff provided desperately needed security for Hoosier Heroes like:
MAKEOVER
experience to a a a a a a a a a a grab-and-go model distributing pre-packaged bags of food and and hygiene items from outside on our porch “It was pretty much a a a a a a a a a a a shock ” Community Center Specialist Katie Zackery said “A lot of our veterans depended on on us on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a day-to-day basis And for for for them them to to to to to not be able to to to to to come in in and and and shop for for for themselves and and and have to to to to to revert back to to to to our pre-packed bags was kind of a a a a a a a a a a a shock for for for us and and and the the the veterans ” Not long after that plans were being made to to renovate the the Community Center to to allow allow for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a safe shopping
experience In December the the renova- tions were completed and veterans AND volunteers are now allowed back inside Once again having the the opportunity to shop for what each veteran veteran wants and needs with the the assistance of a a a a a a a a a a volunteer “I welcome them back back with open arms I’m excited to to see everyone come come back back back volunteers included ” ” Katie said “Just being able to to to to provide this dignity back back to to to them is is very important to to to us us as as well as as the the veterans ” ” The holidays were not the same for most of of us in 2020 but HVAF staff worked hard to ensure our veterans had as as as much of of a a a a a a a a a a a a normal holiday season as as as possible HVAF partnered with local American Legion and VFW posts as as as well as as as as as corporate groups providing 86 Thanksgiving meal meal baskets baskets and and 60 Christmas meal meal baskets baskets veterans over the holidays Each basket basket had enough food to feed a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a family of four and and and was filled with either a a a a a a a a a a a a turkey or a a a a a a a a a a a a ham several side items rolls and and a a a a a a a a a a a a dessert In addition to the the food baskets 188 families were “adopted” by generous donors and provided wrapped Christmas gifts for the the veteran’s entire family!
PROVIDING HOLIDAY MEALS TO OUR VETERANS
And we we know we we wouldn’t have survived 2020 without significant financial assistance from others who care about our mission:
After COVID-19 shut most businesses down in in in in in March 2020 HVAF experienced an an an an an increase in in in in in donations from from individuals like you and and and and grants from from United Way of Central Indiana IU Health and and and and 3M Foundation to to help guarantee HVAF staff could continue to to to meet the the the growing demand for services and and and and assistance in in in in in in such an an an an an an an an an an uncertain time Funds Funds received were distributed directly to to to those veterans with the the the the greatest need in in in in in in the the the the form of gas and and and and grocery gift cards Funds Funds also helped keep the the the pantry stocked stocked cleaning supplies on hand and and PPE stocked and and available The funds funds also created an an an an an an an opportunity to to to to serve veterans veterans in in in in an an an an an an an entirely NEW WAY Our case managers utilized funds funds to to to to to pay for for for hotel stays for for for veterans veterans with nowhere to to to to to shelter-in-place and/or to to to to to quarantine before moving into housing This was a a a a a a a a a a a a a game-changer as as local shelters were bursting at the the seams and so so many homeless individuals needed somewhere to to shelter-in-place Since then we’ve been able to to continue providing emergency hotel stays through the the the CARES Act funding HVAF provided immediate housing placement for more than 100 homeless veterans in in in hotels around the city 15 | HVAF Because of you HVAF was able to meet the unplanned increased demand during 2020 YOU YOU made this possible! THANK YOU YOU for supporting our veterans and their families during this unprecedented time We know we could not have kept up with the increased demand and and and unplanned need in in 2020 without your love and and and support As we we slowly recover from the the pandemic we we know that the the need continues to be great and we we hope you will stay with us in 2021 as we we rise to the challenge