Real Help in Real Time

She had just arrived from Hawaii when she called us in May of 2020. She’d served in the Marine Corps, the Army and the Navy. Next on her list, according to Operations Manager Dave Clanton, was the Air Force. But what she needed now was help, especially housing.

Her journey started with one call to our Lifeline for Vets. Our Women Veterans Outreach Team got her signed up with the West LA VA for her healthcare. From there, it took a year and a lot of patience, but she’s settled now into permanent housing. Here were the steps:

• June 2020 – Project Room Key got her a room in El Segundo, CA.
• July 2020 – Veteran Peer Access Program for Mental Health.
• October 2020 – VA HUD VASH Program.
• January 2021 – Project Room Key moved her to a motelin Inglewood, CA.
• January 2021 – She enrolled in Homeless Veteran Rein- tegration Program for education and employment.
• October 2021 – She moved into Ybarra Village Veteran Housing.

It can be a lengthy process, and involves collaboration with more than one agency, but that’s the value of our Outreach program…a Vet has someone to help navigate the various agencies and programs available. Without a navigator, many fall through the cracks. We’re able to provide warm referrals and someone to help follow up. That makes all the difference. We don’t give up, and neither did this newly housed Vet.