A Veteran Focused on the Future

“Until I found the volunteers at The United Effort Organization, everyone else had told me that I didn’t qualify for affordable housing. At UEO, Wei, a volunteer, asked me several questions, the most important being “Are you a veteran?” When I told her yes, I was, she said “Then you DO qualify for help from the VA! I can help refer you. As a veteran, you can get housing.” Juan (not his real name) said it was a fresh start. After years of feeling that nobody heard or cared, Wei listened. “Wei didn’t give up on me. Through her persistence, I was referred to the HUD-VASH (Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) Program. It took several more months working with the VA, and while I did get frustrated at times, the UEO gave me moral support; they cared. The people at the VA not only found a studio apartment for me, but told me that, as a veteran, I qualify for help for the rest of my life!”

We are so excited that Juan is now housed under the HUD-VASH Program, and has even volunteered with us at UEO to help others!

Regarding unhoused or homeless people, Juan said, “Some of our misfortunes are self-inflicted, we’re only human. We may have made errors in judgment, leading some of us to addiction or crime, but it doesn’t help for others to stigmatize and give up on the unhoused. The conventional methods of help are very difficult to tap into. The United Effort Organization offers unconditional help to unhoused people by providing services directly to clients, not just referring and connecting.” 

The UEO makes sure their clients don’t ‘fall through the cracks’ and their volunteers provide mentorship and moral support. “As a veteran, I was lucky to have been housed through the HUD-VASH program, with a lot of help from The United Effort Organization. After struggling on and off the streets, being housed has given me the opportunity to rebound and work on myself, with my goal to become more self-sufficient.”

In Juan’s experience, “Transitioning from living on the street or shelters into my own studio apartment was harder than I expected. It takes a while to adjust to having it, taking care of it and doing the cleaning, trying not to break things, having my own shower, toilet, food, even my own internet; it’s like coming out of PTSD! I even had to adjust to no longer having to carry my things around with me.” 

Juan realized that he was so used to having people around when he was living on the streets that it now feels isolating in his own place, so he has to get outside a lot.

“As I was considering next steps to work and earning a living, I was happy to volunteer with the UEO so that I could, in some way, be of service and help not just other veterans, but other unhoused people.  Volunteering helped me get ready to go back to work, and I’m happy to say I am starting a job!”

If you need help keeping or finding housing and public assistance, or know someone who does, contact us at help@theunitedeffort.org.