This story is part of HVAF’s annual tradition: 12 Vets of Christmas, where each day we are featuring a veteran whose life has been positively changed because of the essential services and programs HVAF provided in 2021.

January 2021

In the beginning of 2021, Lolita found herself homeless and needed a place to stay. She knew she could come to HVAF after the help she received in 2017.

“I had nowhere to go,” Lolita said. “So I came here to HVAF.”

Today

After living in one of HVAF’s transitional houses for eight months, Lolita received her HUD-VASH voucher and moved into her own apartment. HVAF helped pay for her first month’s rent and application fees, and furnished the entire place. Lolita especially enjoyed working with her case manager, Doneeka.

“Doneeka was a great experience,” Lolita said. “Not only was she my case manager – but also a friend.”

Today, Lolita is in school for cyber security. She has this opportunity thanks to the Veteran Affairs’ Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP). This program offers education and training for high-demand jobs to Veterans who are unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The HVAF Employment Team provided her with a laptop, and is available to her at any time when she needs help during this process.

Advice for fellow veterans

One of her future goals include finishing school, and hopefully starting a non-profit of her own one day. She also had advice to share with veterans who need help but don’t want to ask for it:

“Drop your pride and ask for help. A closed mouth doesn’t get fed. If you need help or assistance, take it while a helping hand is out,” Lolita said. “Everyone is not willing to help you. Some help isn’t good help. But the help HVAF has – it’s good help. Go and get the help you need to get to where you need to be.”

Lolita said she is thankful for HVAF, as the case managers have blessed her tremendously.

“Their program is ending homelessness, and that’s what they did,” Lolita said.

YOUR continued support ensures that other veterans like Lolita receive the life-changing help they need. Will you make a tax-deductible donation today to support those veterans?

DONATE TODAY