This blog post is part of HVAF’s annual tradition: 12 Vets of Christmas, where each day for 12 days, we feature a veteran whose life has been positively changed because of the essential services and programs your support made possible in 2023. Thank you for supporting HVAF and our veterans.

After discharging from the military, life seemed great for Navy veteran Al. A friend helped him get a job at a factory in his hometown Kokomo, and later he went on to run his own tiling business. It wasn’t until recently when Al fell on hard times and needed to ask for help.

Several years ago, Al first found out about HVAF when he met Outreach Coordinator and fellow Navy veteran Rodney.

While he didn’t end up needing HVAF’s help at the time, he kept us in mind for the future. In 2019, he became homeless, and HVAF housing navigator Kalisha helped house him get one of HVAF’s transitional houses: Warman.

Warman, which is located off Warman Avenue on the Near West Side of Indianapolis, provides homeless veterans who also need help overcoming addictions.

“I get addicted to anything I do, so I have to be careful with anything I do,” Al said.

After living at Warman for a year and a half, Al became employed and moved out to live on his own. Unfortunately, last fall, he lost his job and couldn’t afford to close on the house he was just about to purchase.

But thankfully, he remembered HVAF is always there to help him. He is back at Warman and is happy to have his same case manager, Jaulane, to help him prioritize and meet his goals.

“HVAF gives people a lot of opportunity to take care of some issues. Personal issues, financial issues, spiritual issues,” Al said. “It gives me room to grow and it’s a safe environment. So, it’s been great.”

While living at Warman and being involved in a 12-step program, Al is also working with HVAF’s employment team so he can get back to a career. His employment specialist, Lisa, is helping get his record expunged so he doesn’t have anything holding him back from gainful employment.

“It’s awesome that I know that I’ve got support,” Al said. “That’s a big relief.”

And we are excited to give you an update: Al now lives on his own in an apartment and works full time for one of our housing partners, Woda Cooper Companies!

We can’t ensure veterans, like Al, receive life-changing services to reach self-sufficiency without your support. Will you continue to support veterans in need and invest in the fight to end veteran homelessness by sending in your most generous gift by December 31st? Please send in your year-end tax-deductible donation to support Hoosier Heroes in 2024 .