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This year’s 12 Vets Of Christmas begins on December 20! Each day for 12 days, you will get to meet each one of these veterans and find out how your support has changed their life for the better. We hope you’ll tune in right here on our blog (and social media – @hvafofindiana) and continue to support HVAF in 2024 and beyond!

Day Six – From motel to home, sweet, home!

A lottery number that meant he was drafted for the Vietnam War…

88 – a number Army Veteran Jackson will never forget. 

“When you got drafted, going in, you were not expected to come back,” Jackson said. “Right out of college, life’s supposed to be beginning and you’re going to a point when you might be going to end it.”,” Jackson said. But thankfully, Jackson came home. 

A few years ago, Jackson moved from Tennessee to Indiana to be close to his family. Stable housing was hard to find, and last fall, Jackson found himself living in a motel. He had hopes to live in his own apartment but needed help to make that a reality. 

Because of YOU, HVAF was there to help. Jackson was assigned to a case manager, Sarah, who helped him with housing and addressed other barriers he was facing. She helped him get his disability benefits through the VA which, like many other Vietnam War veterans, he never knew he could receive. She referred him to our food pantry (that your support makes possible) where he received essential food and hygiene items each week. 

With support in place, Jackson moved out of the motel into his own apartment in just a month. He will continue to work closely with Sarah and receive rental assistance until he’s fully self-sufficient. 

Jackson said he is thankful to call Sarah his case manager. 

“Sarah’s great. I give her a problem and usually by the end of the day, she has a solution to the problem,” Jackson said. “We stay in contact daily. She sends a text message every morning.” 

Next steps for Jackson include improving his credit score, receiving financial counseling, and scheduling dental and eye appointments.

 “I want to thank you for your gifts and ask you to not give up on us but please try to help us,” Jackson said, with gratitude for the HVAF community.  

With your help, we can ensure other veterans like Jackson receive the necessary support to achieve self-sufficiency. 

This holiday season, join us as we head into 2025 and help continue to empower veterans like Jackson on their path to success with one final 2024 tax-deductible donation!

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