Perseverance is key to many obstacles

A female veteran came into our office after being referred by Primary Health Care Services (SSVF) in Des Moines, Iowa. During the intake, the Employment Specialist (ES) learned that the veteran had just recently moved to Iowa within the last year.

Once in Iowa she moved in with her brother’s wife’s family and a few disputes with her brothers in laws found herself homeless and seeking refuge. The veteran is 31 years old who served in the Marine Corps for approximately two years during the Gulf War II Era. She is now here in Iowa with no support as her mother currently resides in Mexico with her two children.

On her own volition, the veteran reached out to Primary Health Care soon after she became homeless to see what options she had Primary Health Care assisted her with SSVF housing/rental assistance where she currently resides at CISS Shelter.

This veteran has faced many struggles since becoming homeless but her strong will and desire to persevere has allowed her to push through all her obstacles. Her main goal currently is to make enough money to bring her family to the states.

During the beginning of the intake, the veteran was very apprehensive as she has a past criminal history so she was unsure whether she could even be hired anywhere. The VRSI ES sat and spoke with her about the charges. After intake she became more confident and accepted an on-the-job-training position within the homeless shelter in the greenhouse where she takes care of the plants around the facility.

The veteran has had great success and fulfillment in this part-time position which she started less than a week after being enrolled into the HVRP, and the shelter staff always comment on how respectful she is and always very helpful.

Within two weeks after intake was completed, the veteran obtained another FT job at McDonalds working opposite the hours that she works in the greenhouse. VRSI assisted her with gaining the self-confidence she needed in order for her to take the first step and get that first job.

The ES continues to contact the veteran weekly to check in and see how she is doing and how the organization may be able to best assist her with. Currently VRSI is supplying the veterans need for extra work attire for her job at the shelter and reaching out to her weekly to see if there is any other type of assistance the veteran may need.

The veteran has expressed the significance of her feelings from there being “someone in her corner”, as part of the reason she has developed the confidence she currently has. Ongoing collaboration with her case manager and check ins just to see how she is doing is beneficial for her as she has no other support here.

VRSI has helped provide this much needed sense of support. The veteran is continuing to overcome obstacles on a daily basis and has set attainable goals for herself. This veterans story is just one of the many successes the VRSI program has and we expect many more to come.