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Services. Programs . Opportunity . Advancement .

Services. Programs . Opportunity . Advancement .

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Services. Programs . Opportunity . Advancement .

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  1. Services. Programs. Opportunity. Advancement.

  2. Board of Directors Robert Lord, PresidentJack O'Neill, Vice PresidentJohn Gonnella, TreasurerTerry English, SecretaryBoard MembersBruce BoiceRichard BorgersonJack CalhounDeborah Harmon-PughMustafa RashedArmando VegaMike VenutoJohn WearMatthew Sunderland Contents Mission 3 The Perimeter 4 Mary E. Walker House 5 LZII 6 SSVF 7 Housing Programs 8 Employment Training 9 Social Enterprise 10 Women Veterans Center 11

  3. Our History The Veterans Multi-Service Center , previously the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center, was founded in 1980 to address the multiple needs of Vietnam Veterans.  Since that time our programs and assistance  have grown and diversified to encompass the needs of Veterans of all wars and conflicts, up to and including Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation New Dawn Veterans.  Our Vision Our Mission To recognize, address and advocate for the evolving needs of Veterans with an unselfish commitment to service through individualized assistance and support in a dignified and coordinated approach. To provide services, programs, opportunity and advancement to Veterans of the U.S. military and their families. Our Commitment To advance the cause of Veterans, advocating on all levels, giving voice to their concerns, bringing equity and quality to their earned benefits, and a just resolve to their needs. 95% OF FUNDING IS DEDICATED TO OUR PROGRAMS

  4. A boundary of defense for our Veterans, separating the safe from the unsafe. The Perimeter • The Perimeteris located at the Veterans Multi-Service Center headquarters in Philadelphia, whereover 17,000 homeless Veteran client visits are recorded annually. Onthe streets and in the shelter system of Philadelphia, our outreach begins. The Perimeter provides van transportation to and from designated locations on a daily basis, including shuttle services from the surrounding area, including New Jersey. When Veterans arrive, immediate needs are met,including a hot breakfast and lunch, showers (accommodating both men and women), personal hygiene items, haircuts, laundry facilities, and clothing. After immediate needs are addressed, an assessment and needs analysis results in the setting of practical goals and preparation for a realistic plan ofaction. Through case management, veterans are provided the greatest opportunity for personal advancement, independence and self-determination. A Veteran Outreach Specialist from the VA Regional Office is available at The Perimeter on a weekly basis to offer information on Veteran benefits and assist the Veteran with the filing of claims and up-grades. Legal assistance is accessible on site through our collaboration with the Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP). There are currently over 100 active cases with HAP and their pro-bono partners. Daily educational presentations related to daily living, relationships, personal care, substance abuse, PTSD, and financial planning are provided. Job development and placement with the on-site presence of a PA Job Center Disabled Veterans Outreach Program is also available. The VMC is also proud to host the Veterans Community Resource and Referral Center (CRRC), the VA’s national standard for providing Veterans referrals to the VA and other community agencies for services. 969 Individual Homeless Client Visits 16,337Homeless Veteran Encounters 72,474 Veteran Client Service Hours

  5. Mary E. Walker House 30 Female Bed Transitional Unit 60% of Residents Diagnosed with Sexual Trauma “Everybody here is a veteran so we all know what we went through. We have that bond.” -Jamie Breen Veteran from Mary E. Walker House • The Mary E. Walker House is a thirty bed transitional residence for women Veterans who have found themselves in difficult life situations and without a home. Many of these women suffer from military sexual trauma; at present approximately 60% of the residents have this diagnosis. Currently one of the largest women Veteran transitional residence in the country, the Walker House and its staff strive to provide a comfortable, safe, and secure life-setting, while fostering respect, responsibility, and recovery. The women are treated as out-patients by the Coatesville VA Medical Center staff, located on-site in our facility. With a full commitment from the female Veteran, the Walker House has provided a path to a more secure and successful re-entry to the community forhundreds ofVeterans since its opening in 2005. • The Walker House is funded through the VA Grant and Per Diem program and is one of the largest transitional residences for women Veterans in the United States.

  6. LZII 95 Bed Male Transitional Unit 14% Are Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan Wars LZII, an abbreviation of “Landing Zone II,” is a ninety-five bed transitional residence for homeless male Veterans. Known as “home” to over a thousandVeterans who have lived there since its opening in June of 1997, LZ II offers a safe, secure, and supportive environment in a structured program that fosters respect, recovery and responsibility while increasing independence as the Veteran transitions back into the community. In our eleven year history at LZII we have had a 60% success rate with Veterans leaving the program with a job and enough savings for housing. It should be noted that 14% of the occupants in LZII are Veterans of the current war in Iraq and Afghanistan. A safe environment where male Veterans can stay, living in harmony with others, while they endeavor to attain personal growth and enhance life skills, in order to re-establish themselves as members of a community and regain ownership of their lives.

  7. Supportive Services for Veteran Families Veterans AND Their Families Have SSVF Access SSVF provides comprehensive Supportive Services to very low income Veterans and their families who are currently experiencing homelessness or are at risk of losing their homes. With the SSVF program, Veterans who have a discharge that is other than dishonorable and have at least one day of active duty service time, are able to access a seamless, integrated and sustainable network of resources to include case management, housing counseling, legal support, credit repair and financial planning services, and time-limited, temporary financial assistance. Eligible Veterans may receive time-limited financial assistance for rent, utilities, and security deposits. SSVF offers short term case management that links Veterans with resources within the Veterans Administration and the community with the ultimate goal of stabilizing Veterans in housing using the Housing First Model. The VMC operates the SSVF program at our headquarters serving Philadelphia and at Operating Base Cecilia based in Coatesville serving Chester, Delawareand Montgomery counties.

  8. Veterans Home Project provides subsidized, supportive housing to ten honorably discharged homeless Veterans with special needs and an income below 30% of our area’s median income level.  The Veterans Home Project’s population consists of chronically homeless Veterans, physically or mentally disabled Veterans and Veterans with chronic abuse histories.  The ten Scattered site one bedroom and efficiency type units are located in West Philadelphia, South West Philadelphia, Mayfair, North Philadelphia, Chestnut Hill, Eastwick, and Northeast Philadelphia. Freedom’s Gate is a 30 unit Shelter Plus Care (SPC) program with scattered site units throughout Philadelphia County.  Freedom’s Gate provides Tenant Based Rental Assistance to 30 honorably discharged homeless Veterans with special needs and an income below 30% of our area’s median income level.  Services include case management, needs assessment, military history, evaluation of medical/mental health, and substance abuse needs, current housing situation, employability, and achievable service plans.  Case management is provided through home visits and group sessions on The Perimeter.  • Veterans Home Project Supportive Housing • Program Freedom’s Gate • Shelter Plus Care Program

  9. Nurse Aide Training Program 12 week course to prepare Veterans for employment with a long term Nursing Home Facility caring for residents with varying levels of disabilities. CompTIA A+ Certification Course 8 week course preparing Veterans to become A+ certified (an entry level certification to the IT world).  This course includes 232 hours of hands-on training and lab time. Employment Training Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Training Program 2 week course for Veterans with experience as Apartment/Building Maintenance Technicians. Offered in partnership with the Apartment Association of Greater Philadelphia. ServSafe Food Safety Management Certification Training - A 2 day, 16 hour training class provided by VMC preparing veterans for the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification, accredited by the American National Standards Institute Conference for food protection. Computer Mini Courses 3-5 day mini courses designed to help Veterans improve their computer skills. OSHA Forklift Certification Training - A 1 day, 8 hour course preparing Veterans to obtain jobs in various warehouse positions.

  10. Magnum Computer PartnershipCamouflage Rhino Thrift Store The Veterans Multi-Service Center has partnered with Magnum Computers at their Pennsauken, NJ location to refurbish computers.  The VMC currently employs one Veteran who refurbishes computers for retail sale at the Camouflage Rhino Thrift Shop, as well has wholesale opportunities.   The goal of this business is to leverage our in-house A+ certification course giving students hand-on experience working with different computer manufacturers and to hire more Veterans to gain these valuable skills and move on to competitive positions where they are in demand.   The program will soon be self-sustaining and will pave the way for Veterans to obtain careers in the computer industry. The Veterans Multi-Service Center purchased a thrift shop called the Camouflage Rhino in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia. The mission of the thrift shop is threefold: provide space and opportunity to collect items for homeless Veterans, provide temporary jobs for Veterans while they seek longer term employment, and to create a self-sustaining business model for the organization. The Camouflage Rhino currently employs 6 Veterans on a part-time basis and is able to pick-up large donations. It also offers a moving assistance service with discounted prices for Veterans. The store is located at 7126 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19135. The Veterans Multi-Service Center purchased a thrift shop called the Camouflage Rhino in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia. The mission of the thrift shop is threefold: provide space and opportunity to collect items for homeless Veterans, provide temporary jobs for Veterans while they seek longer term employment, and to create a self-sustaining business model for the organization. The Camouflage Rhino currently employs 6 Veterans on a part-time basis and is able to pick-up large donations. It also offers a moving assistance service with discounted prices for Veterans. The store is located at 7126 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19135.

  11. Veteran Women Center • The population of women Veterans is growing rapidly. According to the VA, the current projected percentage of U.S. Veterans who are women is 10 percent. Women make up nearly 11.6 percent of OEF/OIF/OND Veterans and we will continue to see an influx. • As women Veterans return, we must ensure that we can address their unique needs, especially when we are confronted with victims of Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other issues. • In many cases these difficulties lead to difficulties such as unemploymentand financial instability then can create homelessness. A number of homeless female Veterans more than doubled from 2006 to 2010. Yet, even more alarming, about two thirds of homeless female Veterans are 40 to 59 years old and many have minor children. Over one-third are disabled. The Veterans Multi-Service Center recently opened a Women’s Veteran Center on the ground floor of our Headquarters to provide a private space for our women Veterans. The long term plan is to transform the entirety of our 5th floor into a completed renovated women’s center, which will expand on the computer assets and training area and have space dedicated to children. Honoring Our Women Veterans Is A Top VMC Priority

  12. U.S. Department of Labor 2002 Exemplary Public Interest Award Federal Advisory Committee Appointments Learn More About VMC www.VMCenter.org 2007 Non-Profit of the Year International Impact Award A National ModelU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs • THE VETERANS MULTI-SERVICE CENTER213-217 N. 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106(P) 215-923-2600 (F) 215-925-8460A non-profit 501 (c)(3) organizationEIN / Tax ID: 23-2764079United Way Donor Option #4308CFC Donor Option #48126

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