Homelessness among veterans in Texas has been tragically prevalent, with physical and mental health challenges leaving many veterans struggling to find stable housing.
Haven for Hope offers a variety of services to veteran clients at the nonprofit’s main campus in addition to the services offered to every unhoused person who enrolls in its program. Such services include emergency housing assistance, income and skills development, and case management, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
David Maldonado, veteran services program manager for Haven of Hope, told The Dallas Express that the organization’s outreach team engages with the homeless on the street and specifically asks them if they are veterans. Veterans are entitled to VA-associated programs like disability benefits and pensions. Haven for Hope provides on-site VA healthcare for homeless veterans.
Maldonado said people are required to have specific documentation proving their veteran status, as some claim to be veterans without ever having served. If a client cannot access such documents, Haven for Hope staff will work with them to obtain the necessary documentation from the federal government.
He said that the ultimate goal for the organization’s veteran clients is to get them into stable housing with a consistent income, whether that be from a job or disability benefits from the VA. However, many veterans suffer from other issues that must first be addressed.
“A lot of our members have addiction or mental health issues,” he explained. “Yes, you qualify for housing, but you have mental health issues. In our eyes, we want to square that away and get that addressed before you get housing because if it’s not under control, you’re going to be back here in two months.”
Maldonado added that many veterans suffer from PTSD and that many veterans who served in Vietnam have unique struggles.
“A lot of it is the culture. We have a lot of veterans from the Vietnam era who are in their 60s and 70s now, and they came back here after their time in war to a place that wasn’t grateful,” he said.
Maldonado served in Iraq and Afghanistan and said he was welcomed home by many people who were grateful for his service. He said that most Vietnam veterans never received such gratitude.
He said that a lasting consequence of this is that many Vietnam veterans “almost feel that they’re not entitled to benefits.” He said such clients often need to be convinced that “they’re just as important” as other veterans and are legally entitled to the same benefits.
“If they have no income, we try to get them hooked up with VA benefits,” he said, adding that Haven for Hope connects clients with social security benefits and ensures employment services are available to them if they can hold down a job.
“That’s our goal — for them to be better off than [they were] when they came here,” said Maldonado. “We want them to be able to live on their own. And if they can’t do that, we have programs for that.”
Maldonado said that for those who cannot live independently, Haven for Hope will provide a case manager to check on them weekly.
“A lot of it is their instability. If you’ve been homeless for 40 years, that’s all you know … they’re so used to coming and going as they will and not having responsibilities,” he said.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Haven for Hope provides a “one-stop-shop” for homeless services in San Antonio. The nonprofit offers housing in conjunction with other services such as counseling, job training, and skills development.
The approach has been credited with a 77% reduction in homelessness in San Antonio and has polled favorably among Dallas residents.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson recently visited Haven for Hope, but it remains to be seen whether the City of Dallas will consider a similar program. Meanwhile, 75% of Dallas residents say homelessness and vagrancy continue to be “major” problems throughout the City.
