HVAF BLOG
Check out our latest stories, events, and the best part of the job: our success stories.
February 28, 2021
Joining the Army National Guard At 23 years old, Mark found himself in trouble with the law. When talking to the judge in court, they agreed he would do well in the military. Soon after, Mark started basic training for the Army National Guard. On […]
February 25, 2021
HVAF – Helping Veterans And Families – was named one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana by Indiana Chamber of Commerce and Best Companies Group. The annual statewide survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize, and honor participating employers in Indiana with […]
February 24, 2021
Thirty years ago, 24-year-old Arne Pedersen led his Tank Platoon into what would later be known as Desert Storm. Today, as a HVAF Board Member, he shares his perspective on the four-day war on his 30th anniversary: DESERT STORM | DAY ONE: “We were […]
February 24, 2021
Fourteen years ago, Army National Guard veteran Wiloner and her son moved to Indianapolis. They came so her son, 16-year-old Michael, could play football for Ben Davis High School. After realizing it would not work to live with her brother, Wiloner became homeless. As they […]
February 24, 2021
Hygiene items are an absolute necessity for homeless veterans. “We always need hygiene items 24/7, 365,” HVAF’s Outreach Coordinator Rodney Jackson said. Every day, Navy veteran Rodney Jackson serves veterans in Indianapolis’ homeless camps. Because of this, Rodney understand the needs of our veterans. […]
February 17, 2021
Meet Elayne Lewis: One of HVAF’s Peer Mentors. Elayne & HVAF We have been thankful to have Elayne on our team since 2008! She has spent 13 years serving Indianapolis’ homeless and at-risk veterans. As Peer Mentor, Elayne said she is honored to help […]
February 10, 2021
Below are sentiments from our President & CEO, Brian Copes, during a time of unprecedented growth and change for HVAF : There is a saying among old Soldiers, “The Army never changes and… the Army is always changing.” It was a tongue-in-cheek bit of wisdom […]
February 10, 2021
Serving in the 70’s In 1977, Robert J. graduated from high school in Indianapolis and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army. When he left for basic training in June, it was his first time leaving the state. “That was the best moment of my […]
February 10, 2021
For more than 12 years, Sammy Mitchell has played a vital role in HVAF’s mission. She started out at HVAF as an Executive Administrative Assistant in 2008. Over the years, Sammy has received many promotions here – and currently serves as Vice President for Personnel. […]
February 3, 2021
Meet Danny Park: HVAF’s Permanent Housing Coordinator. He oversees 3 of our housing programs: Community Permanent Housing, Transition in Place, and Permanent Supportive Housing. As if that wasn’t enough – Danny also has his own caseload of veterans to serve through the Transition in Place […]
January 26, 2021
Anthony served in the United States Army from 1977-1979 as a clerk. He described military life as an interesting experience for him, and how life has been hard since then. “(Life after the military) was a struggle, and it is still a struggle,” Anthony […]
January 13, 2021
A fresh start… Army veteran Robert came to HVAF because he needed to find a place that helped find employment for veterans. But he didn’t only need a job – he needed clothes, food, and a home. After getting out of jail a few days […]
January 8, 2021
Written by EdChoice At EdChoice, we work each day to make sure all families have access to the K-12 schooling options that work best for their students. That includes tens of thousands of military families who sacrifice so much to defend our nation from […]
January 5, 2021
Despite all of the challenges with 2020 – and thanks to our amazing supporters – HVAF’s Operation Alpha was a HIT! What is Operation Alpha? Hotel Tango Artisan Distillery’s Founder and CEO, disabled U.S. Marine Corps veteran Travis Barnes, started Operation Alpha in 2014. […]
December 27, 2020
Air Force veteran Rashaun served in the military from 2008 to 2014. Now in 2020, he has been coming to HVAF’s food, clothing, and hygiene pantry for the last seven months. After doing some research online, he found out about HVAF’s services for veterans. […]
