Serving your country can provide a sense of pride and patriotism, but more than37,000 veterans¹experience homelessness on any given night. Georgia has the fifth-largest veteran population in the country,²因此，对资源的需求很高。这就是为什么亚特兰大的退伍军人赋权组织（VEO）正在正面解决这个问题，以整体方法来帮助恢复服务者的生活。

支持负担得起的住房，健康和工作机会

“When they come back, they’re often not the same,” said David Mance, VEO’s transitional housing manager.

Some lose everything, including their marriage and homes. Mance has seen how military service can affect people.

前美国飞行员以利亚·康拉德（Elijah Conrad）说：“没有老兵无家可归。”“您服务了您的时间。我没有为自己发动战争。我为这里的每个人都参加了战争。”

Conrad speaks quickly and with a smile. He’s been attending the VEO for two months.

The VEO has served more than 6,000 veterans since 2008, meeting them where they are physically, mentally, and emotionally, and helping them achieve a greater level of well-being. Participants have access to 90-day temporary housing, employment placement, food, and resources to help with substance abuse, mental health, and physical wellness.

“Our goal is to help them reach and maintain sustainability and stability in their lives,” said VEO Director of Development Alfonso Rogers.

Often, the VEO’s interventions are these veterans’ only source of support for necessities.

康拉德说：“我曾经住在树林里。”“我现在住在公寓里。我也要上学。”

VEO’s campus includes a kitchen where meals are prepared daily by a chef, a closet where clients have access to clothing, a computer room, and a shared social space. Employment Specialist James Stringfellow said he wants clients to feel comfortable, but the goal is to get them to the point that they no longer need the VEO’s services.

“We want everyone to have an exit strategy, and part of that strategy is financial wellness,” he said.

Starting the financial education conversation with Truist

Like many of the VEO’s participants, Conrad’s finances are a challenge. The VEO helps veterans navigate their pensions and secure employment, as well as provides practical skills to fill the gaps.

Truist, a longtime supporter and financial partner of the organization, worked with the VEO to create a financial education program. Financial Wellness Leader Lee Anne Ledford developed a monthly workshop curriculum of relevant topics. She also works one-on-one with veterans after each session to answer questions and learn more about their needs.

Ledford finds sharing her financial journey helps her connect with the veterans. In college, she signed up for every credit card offer she received and was soon drowning in payments and high interest rates. Getting a mentor helped Ledford create a plan and reduce her growing debt.

“我去找老板说，‘女士。朱迪，我在做什么？我该如何摆脱困境？’朱迪女士花了很多时间和我在一起。”莱德福德说。“她指导我。她指导我朝正确的方向引导。”

在最近在VEO的一个研讨会中，莱德福德讨论了预算的基本原理，并评估了一个人的净资产。参与者收到了预算模板，莱德福德解释了如何在各种情况下使用工具。

Stringfellow说：“与Lee合作是一个巨大的好处。”

Ledford believes financial education can change a life forever, and that’s her motivation.

“我知道我在做一件好事。她说。

通过护理和社区为退伍军人服务188bet网址怎么打不开

许多VEO员工是退伍军人，或者有家庭成员。

“I feel by being here, I can help them because I understand their situation. I can advocate for them in different agencies,” said Mance, who served in the U.S. Air Force. Their work goes beyond the role—it’s a passion.

罗杰斯说：“当您远离尝试自己做事……为组织的可持续性做这件事时，它会更加充实。”金博宝怎么注册

社区感也扩展到退伍军人。188bet网址怎么打不开他们经常共同努力，渴望分享资源和知识 - 每个人都会为不言而喻的家庭纽带做出贡献。

“We’re all veterans,” Conrad said.

他认为，员工的奉献精神和家庭环境使VEO如此成功。

康拉德说：“我的第一个月，我对正在进行的任何计划一无所知。”“接下来你知道，我上了一堂课，然后上学。因此，工作人员是起点。”

Rogers hopes the launch of an alumni program will soon be an additional resource for veterans once they graduate from the VEO—becoming an extension of the community they had on campus.

阅读更多On Purpose stories关于Truist队友如何实现我们的目标，使命和价值观，以服务于客户，队友和社区。

¹“The 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress”，美国住房和城市发展部社区规划与发展办公室，2021年1月。188bet网址怎么打不开
²“The Problem,” Veterans Empowerment Organization. Accessed November 2, 2021.