We first introduced you to Navy veteran Bianca at the end of 2021 – you can find that story here.

At the time, she was living in one of HVAF’s permanent supportive housing apartments at Veterans Villa after becoming homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She tried to stay in a hotel but struggled to keep up with the payments. “Trying to get the funds to stay in the hotel while also trying to look for an apartment and then knowing I was going to have to still figure out how to stay in the hotel and somehow get a deposit ready, it was a little bit overwhelming,” Bianca recalls.

Thankfully, her case worker at the VA told her about HVAF and we took over the hotel payments and eventually moved her into Veterans Villa, where she called home for more than three years.

“I had never been in a situation where I’m in a building full of veterans. It was different having different eras all in the same building,” Bianca said. “I liked living there because I had a roof over my head and it was cheaper than almost everything else in Indianapolis.”

While living at Veterans Villa, Bianca also enrolled in HVAF’s intensive three-phase Workforce Development program: VetWorks. Through the program, Bianca received education and training in IT. Her hard work led her to a full-time IT job at the city-county building.

Bianca just celebrated her one-year work anniversary AND is up for a promotion!

But that’s not all she’s celebrating… she is also now a homeowner!

She just moved into her own home on the near east-side of Indianapolis and is only a few minutes away from work. While working hard in her job and staying on top of her payments, she is excited to add more furniture, spoil her three cats, and start a vegetable garden.

“I was excited when I got the house!” Bianca said. “It feels very freeing!”

Bianca said she is very thankful she was able to connect with HVAF.

“I’m fairly certain had I not been able to get the help that I needed from you guys that I probably wouldn’t be sitting here right now,” Bianca said. “And I don’t mean that I wouldn’t have the house right now. I probably wouldn’t be on this Earth anymore.”

You can ensure veterans, like Bianca, don’t have to worry about their next rent payment or meal, by supporting HVAF today:

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