Page 6 - 2019-2020 HVAF Annual Report

6 | HVAF LETTER FROM PRESIDENT & CEO Thank you to to our our our our our professional workforce our our our our our engaged Directors our our our our our faithful volunteers our our our our our generous donors and and our our our our our loyal partners COVID-19 distracted us us from getting out last
year’s annual report so my highlights include both 2019 and 2020 I offer my highest praise and and and and deepest gratitude for the dedication passion agility flexibility grit and and and and perseverance o of of of each member o of of of our our our extended Team HVAF – our our our resilient and and and and tenacious employees Directors volunteers donors vendors and and and and and partners who unceasingly served our our our veterans during a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sustained period o of of of predictable unpredictability Well done good and faithful teammates Strategically we we we we remain unwaveringly aligned with our our original 1993 mission to to to serve homeless homeless homeless veterans and and and and and those at at risk of becoming homeless homeless homeless but but we we we we continue to to to expand and and and and and enhance how we we we we we address the underlying causes which contribute to to to to to homelessness Looking ahead we we we we we are broadening our our employment and and and and and workforce development efforts and and and and and begin- ning to to envision a a a a a a a holistic approach to to veteran well-being Organizationally we we implemented a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a “soft re-branding” of of of of the the the agency by by retaining the the the well-recognized H-V-A-F logo and and and and re-phrasing our our tagline to to to to Helping Veterans And Families and and and and by by working to to to to eliminate the the the difficult-to-say/hear “AICH-VAF” pronunciation of of of of our our acronym (which 8 of of of of 10 ears seemed to to to to hear hear as as as HVAC and and and and and misidentified us as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning company) Operationally we we we increased client-facing staffing and and and and and expanded housing housing and and and and and assistance options we we we upgraded upgraded facilities fixtures and and and and and furniture to to to to mitigate the spread of of COVID-19 upgraded upgraded broadband services to to to to enhance client client client access to to to to telehealth we we we we replaced appliances to to to to improve client client client quality-of-life broke ground on on on on our first-ever affordable housing housing proj- ect and and and and this year we we are deploying a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cutting-edge financial management system system and and and and modern payroll processing system system We just hired the the first first of of of two therapists who will focus on on on on post-traumatic stress stress (PTSD) suicide prevention cognitive impacts of of traumatic traumatic brain injury injury (TBI) military sexual trauma trauma trauma moral injury injury and and and transition stress/anxiety Culturally we we were a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a first-time selection as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Best Places to to Work in in in in in in in Indiana Indiana by the Indiana Indiana Chamber of Commerce We recently selected a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Diversity Equity and and and and Inclusion (DE&I) con- sultant to to partner with us us in in in in in in in in assessing our our workplace climate developing and and and and and and deploying a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cultural competency curriculum and and and and and and serving as as as as an an an an an an an an an an an an an as-needed independent grievance and and and and and and conflict resolution system We added dental and and and and and vision coverage launched our our first-ever Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and and and and and are evaluating options for an an an an an an an an an an an employer-matched 401(k) retirement plan Financially we we strengthened our our our our fiscal position and and are debt-free as an an an an an an an an agency An anonymous donor paid off our our our our $1 2M mortgage the the the VA forgave us us a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a roughly $900K capital grant repayment obligation on on on on on on our our our our second largest property and and we we have more than than $5M in in in our our our our endowment established in in in 2019 thanks to the the the generosity o of Lilly Endowment Inc On April 01 2021 we we launched our Veterans Workforce Opportunities Renewing Knowledge and Skills (VetWorks) workforce development program VetWorks VetWorks is is is made possible by by a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 5-year $4 7M grant grant from Lilly Endowment Inc as as part of of their Enhancing Opportunity in in in in in in Indianapolis initiative Looking ahead we we are are pursuing accreditation by by the the Commission on on on on on Accreditation of of of of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) which will improve improve us us as as an an an an an an an an an an an an agency agency enhance enhance our our our our brand brand and and and and and improve improve our our our our competitiveness for future federal grants We are are are also pursu- ing a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation to further enhance enhance the the perceived value of of of our our our our brand brand and and and and and expand awareness of of of our our our our agency agency Thanks again to to to to to the many many many many friends of of of veterans I I am privileged to to to to to partner with daily I I count it it a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a blessing to to to to to work alongside such dedicated and and and and passionate professionals joined in in in in common cause to to to to to support and and and and encourage those who have served and and and and sacrificed to to to to to protect our our our our freedoms our our our our values and and and and our our our our American way of of life Respectfully BRIAN COPES
Brigadier General Army (Retired)