Americans Helping Americans® is pleased to announce the implementation of our new Veterans Housing Support (VHS) program, an innovative and person-centered program dedicated to empowering veterans experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in Fairfax County, Virginia.
As a nonprofit organization founded by a veteran, the late Col. Eugene “Gene” Krizek (USAF Ret.), Americans Helping Americans® understands the challenges faced by our veterans today and is committed to providing a pathway towards rebuilding their lives through secure housing and access to a network of comprehensive support services in the community in which they live.
With the mission “To break the cycle of homelessness by supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion and empowering veterans experiencing housing insecurity to rebuild their lives,” our vision is to create “a more compassionate world that focuses on caring and supporting veterans toward their journey to rebuild their lives.”
With the overall purpose of allowing veterans the opportunity to strengthen family relationships, VHS works toward helping them navigate the myriad of community-based services while providing them permanent affordable housing to establish economic security and stability in their lives.
That includes VHS staff providing residents with referrals for essential services such as food security, assistance in securing healthcare coverage, and government benefits they may be entitled to, including the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) supplemental nutrition program, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
Our overarching goal at VHS is to ensure our resident’s basic needs are met so they can focus on rebuilding their lives.
It is well documented that many of our nation’s veterans are experiencing severe mental health challenges such as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) as a result of serving our country, which impacts their lives in a myriad of ways.
At VHS, we prioritize their mental health needs by connecting them in the community with a networks of experienced professional mental health counselors who work with them on building independence and self-sufficiency, enhancing their self-esteem and social skills, and helping them restore severed family ties.
The VHS program of Americans Helping Americans® remains dedicated to helping our residents move towards financial stability and independence through career and income support, whether it’s pursuing or completing their higher education goals or vocational and technical training to enhance their job skills and ultimately increase their income-generating potential.
In sum, VHS aims to promote long-term self-sufficiency in a stable living environment and provide the helping hand for our residents to live independently with the knowledge that we care and are there for them.
Visit Veterans Housing Support to learn more about our Veterans Housing Support (VHS) program, explore how you can get involved, and discover the various ways you can contribute to creating a more compassionate and supportive community for our veterans. Together, we can break the cycle of homelessness and ensure a brighter future for our heroes.
