Lawrence, a U.S. Army Veteran, says he “will never forget that day” the exact moment when he found housing through Catholic Charities of Long Island.
That day, our Project Veterans’ Independence Program, helped end some very tough times for Lawrence, who was homeless due to unfortunate circumstances. For three years, Lawrence slept at train stations and bounced in and out of shelters. However, in 2014, Lawrence’s life was set on a new course after he was introduced to a housing manager from Project Veterans’ Independence Program. He was soon accepted into the program and a place he could finally call home was found.
Lawrence, who served in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1975, was stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, where he worked with all types of explosives. On Veterans Day, Lawrence is thankful for his home and all the help Catholic Charities has given him in obtaining clothing, food, furniture, and other resources. And Lawrence is not left home - alone. Charities case workers continue to walk with him in his journey. Lawrence and all the veterans in our Project Independence program are provided advocacy, counseling, and employment assistance.
We are honored to provide housing to our homeless veterans, the men and women, who have proudly served our country. For these heroes, there is no place like home. If you’d like to help Project Veterans’ Independence Program work on behalf of veterans like Lawrence, we’d love to hear from you.
It’s hard to believe that here on Long Island, homeless veterans are seeking shelter behind abandoned buildings and in the woods along our highways. Many suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), other mental illnesses, and even physical disabilities. That’s why our Project Veterans’ Independence provides both a home and help for these heroes.
Once they settle into an apartment, veterans can focus on getting better and moving forward with their lives. That’s because our Case Managers are with them every step of the way as they receive not just basics like food and shelter, but also advocacy, counseling, and employment assistance.
When veterans graduate from the program they’re able to live independent and healthy lives…the lives they not just need, but truly deserve. None of this would be possible without friends like you.
So, will you help our veterans with a gift today? Because for these Long Island veterans, it’s your compassion that makes all the difference.