BRIDGE TO VETS
I T ’S O N L Y A D O L L A R
Meet Bill. Bill is a 46-year-old disabled veteran. Bill had a good job, but a few years ago, he was injured on the job and was put on workmen’s compensation.
Recently the workmen’s compensation was stopped. He is working with a Veteran’s case Manager from Disabled Veterans Committee on Housing to assist him with, the possibility of reinstating benefits
Last week Bill, his wife and 3 children (one with a disability) received notice of eviction from their home. Bill was referred to the Disabled Veterans Committee on Housing who was able to collaborate with the landlord in order to postpone the eviction process for a week. Bill was then applied for grant assistance for the back rent.
The Disabled Veterans Committee on Housing’s goal is to have no homeless vets in the area by the year 2015.
Bill has submitted paper work for an appeals process. Often times the process is lengthy and may resonate in the potential falling through the cracks. Then bureaucracy and red tape is something Bill and his family cannot afford at this juncture. In the mean time, among other things, Bill is:
- behind in the rent. (This is pending awaiting approval of grant funds.)
- about to lose his car insurance (Bridge-to-Vets was able to pay this)
- behind in car payments, and
- behind on the electric bill.
Through The Disabled Veterans Committee on Housing, our citizen’s group,
Bridge-To-Vets (BTV), has been collecting $1.00 per person, per week from bridge groups and contributions from social group, to assist our military men and women when they are in need.
Helping one family is a small thing, but it’s a beginning. If you would like to contribute to our efforts to give veterans and their families, a hand up, Bridge-To-Vets would greatly appreciate your support. Thanks so much for anything you can do. We hope to continue to find other vet families that we can “adopt” on a one-to-one basis.
L. Kelley—Bridge-To-Vets
Imagine how much we could do for veterans and their families–$1.00 at a time–if every bridge group and social group in the area would contribute $1.00 per person, per meeting to help our veterans and their families.
H O W I T C A M E T O B E
About 20 years ago, I had a 6-year old foster child. At Christmas time, there were a whole bunch of parties with Santa, a tree, lots of sugar and presents for all the needy kids, which was very generous and thoughtful.
Over the years I’ve been reminded that we are very generous during the holidays and give to many charities so that people can have a good Holiday. It’s very good that we are so willing to give during the holidays. But it once again occurred to me that people in need are in need the rest of the year too.
Last year someone in one of the organizations I belong to, suggested that next year, instead of donating cans and soap and things to an organization, we try to find a family to “adopt” for the holiday and buy things specifically to meet their needs.
For quite a while, I have felt that the only people who really know that we are in two wars, are military families. I’ve made no sacrifices. The sacrifices are made by military families—0ften more than once. They are fighting for OUR rights and freedom. This is our way of saying thank you.
In my bridge group, we each donate $1.00 to the kitty, and then give it back to the top two winners and the loser. I asked them, since we don’t need those dollars, how about if we put them all together and try to find a military family that we could “adopt” and give special assistance to, on a monthly basis. Put gas in the car; bring them dinner; treat the family to a movie; buy each child something for their birthday, etc.
The challenge was finding an organization that could put us with a family on active duty—or recently (within the last 9 years) returned from serving. One day, I went to four places and hit a dead end. I remembered a woman in my social group who was ex-military. I emailed her, she emailed a few people and I found the Disabled Veterans Committee on Housing. They called me the next day with a veteran who needed enough gas to take a family member back and forth to their new job.
And we were off and running. Others have joined and we now are also able to help veterans who have emergency needs. Would you like to join us too?
A f t e r A l l, I T ’S O N L Y A D O L L A R.
L. Kelley—Bridge-To-Vets
Imagine how much we could do for veterans and their families–$1.00 at a time–if every bridge group and social group in the area would contribute $1.00 per person, per meeting to help our veterans and their families.
