Want to make a difference in the lives of our veterans?

Donate a move-in kit to the veterans coming from the street/shelter to live in an apartment.

HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program’s Veteran Grant Per Diem housing program assists veterans off the streets and into an apartment where they can live for up to two years and work on gaining stability.

Many employers drove from opposite ends of the state of Indiana and even as far as Chicago to speak with the local military talent as they search for their leaders of the future.  There are many reasons for seeking out talent from the active and veteran ranks of the different branches of the military.

As an employer, you are probably looking for someone who knows how to be on time, is organized and well-versed in proactive and critical thinking. Active military and Veterans, including their family members, do these things every day and it is ingrained in their routines and practices.  These men and women are a great addition to any industry team as organizations look at where and what they will become in future years.

These service members and families also are extremely well-versed in experiencing and adapting to change which as many of us know, can be extremely stressful in itself.  They offer a complex set of skills that can be incorporated into any industry and under a dynamic set of ever changing circumstances.  They have the ability to think “outside the box” for survival on the battlefield, but also for the survival of their family units. They are extremely creative while still looking at multiple different possible outcomes to move forward on the best course of action.

It is with sometimes a heavy heart that HIP represents veterans and their families at such events. In 2014, HIP served over 400 veterans and their families as they experienced homelessness and created strategies to overcome the immense challenges that they encountered. HIP is honored to work with these families and service members every day. We work with military veterans of different generations helping to provide the services and support that homeless Veterans can count on to work toward self-sufficiency.

As we come up on another Memorial Day, please take time to thank the veterans that you work with, live in your communities or that reside within your families.  They are a critical component of any healthy and vibrant community and should be thanked for the sacrifice that they put forth to provide the freedoms that we all enjoy daily.

To learn more about HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program, please visit www.indyhealthnet.org/HIP.

Post by Matt Holland, HealthNet Homeless Initiative Program 

HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program (HIP) has been serving the homeless population in Marion County since 1988 with Health Care, Street Outreach, Walk-In Triage services, Intensive Case Management, Employment & Training as well as Housing services.  All of our services are available to homeless Veterans, as well as to anyone experiencing homelessness.  In 2013, the Homeless Initiative Program served:

• 2868 clients
• 1193 persons in 361 families with 756 children
• 1668 (60%) single men and (40%) women
• 466  or 16% Veterans
• 438 individuals experiencing Domestic Violence
• 1323 (46% of those served) individuals with a diagnosed disability including substance abuse, mental health diagnosis

HIP is located at 1835 N. Meridian St.in the middle of downtown Indianapolis and is accessible via public transportation.  No appointments are necessary and individuals can come in to seek assistance with challenges that they have as they either work to prevent becoming homeless or redirect themselves from this experience.

Our hours are as follows:

Monday/Tuesday/Thursday: 8am to 4:30pm
Wednesday: 1pm to 4:30pm
Friday: 8am to 11:30am

Employment Assessments: Monday @ 9am OR Thursday @ 1pm

For more information about HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program and how you can help, please call 317-957-2275 or visit www.indyhealthnet.org. 

Matt Holland, Employee-Employer Support Specialist

Did you know that our Homeless Initiative Program (HIP) serves approximately 3,000 homeless individuals each year? They also provide employment and training services to help homeless individuals achieve their career and educational goals.

We reached out to Matt Holland from the HIP Employment and Training Team to learn more. Matt serves as the Job Developer to help connect HIP’s client’s with employers that need positions filled. Matt has been with HIP for over a year and loves using his employment knowledge to connect others to fulfilling career choices. 

How did you get started at HIP?

Matt: I started volunteering in 2010 conducting mock interview sessions with their participants and speaking with the classes regarding the Hospitality workplace environment and expectations.  As I gained more experience volunteering, I found out more information regarding all the services provided by HIP and was immediately drawn to how they connected with the community to provide such important services to those in need.  Through my volunteering, I became aware that an employment position had come available and immediately applied in order to utilize my skill set in a different fashion.

Walk us through a day in your shoes at HIP?

Matt: I call on employers that are current partners to ensure that our client’s are progressing in their careers as well as adding value to the organizations they work for. Additional coaching regarding employment challenges and navigating co-worker dynamics are a large part of what the client works on once we assist them gaining employment. For many, this is an anxiety producing environment if they have been not working for several years. In addition, I also call on employers to develop new partnerships for our employment program to utilize as connections for our job seekers to take advantage of. 

What services do the employment team provide?

Matt: We provide a week long workshop on employment expectations, environment changes, communication styles, interviewing techniques, addressing criminal history in an interview as well as how to effectively search, target and achieve the job.  We offer a structured job search program incorporating three days of computer lab work, on foot follow up as well as over the phone job inquiry. Job coaches and strategies are available to each client as well as leads and partnerships. 

What makes working at HIP so rewarding?

Matt: There is nothing as rewarding as seeing an individual who has struggled with different barriers walk through the doors with their goals achieved. There is an aura around that individual that communicates their new position without a word being said. The smile and immediate confidence that is evident is an amazing thing to witness.

1) The first weekend of GREAT weather.

2) The Indianapolis 500 turns Speedway into the second largest city in Indiana for a day.

3) Cookouts, family, friends and a DAY OFF of work.

But more importantly, we celebrate Memorial Day.  A day to remember all of those who are currently serving, are considering serving, and those who HAVE served.

flickr photo by eddiecoyote

Those who have served in the military do so for the love of their country and the love of freedom.  At HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program, we have a special project called the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP).  It is a program that helps veterans who may have fallen on hard times after coming back from tour and found themselves living in shelters, moving from house to house, or even living on the streets.

The HVRP helps homeless veterans in Indianapolis to start the journey back to self-sufficiency, housing and employment by giving them tools to help job search, have successful interviews and maintain an affordable lifestyle.

We want to extend a thank you to all of those in the military or retired, the family members of those who have served, and we especially thank those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

Would you like to give a special thanks to the military person in YOUR life??  Leave a comment below, give them a shoutout on our Facebook page, or you can even give a gift right to our Homeless Initiative Program in memory or honor of your hero.

Next week most of us will scramble to buy cards and flowers for a sweetheart, but we should all look for a way to give our thanks to the men and women who allow us to celebrate each and every day of freedom in our country.

Think outside the “box of chocolates” this year! Write a quick note of appreciation and make a small gift in honor of a veteran in your life through our Open Doors With Care initiative. Proceeds will help homeless veterans in Indy get back on their feet.

Did you know that 17% of our city’s
homeless are veterans?

These are people who sacrificed a portion of their lives to serve OUR families and OUR community.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, veterans who experience homelessness have high incidences of mental health and substance abuse issues, often as a result of conflict-related stress, and high levels of physical disability, due to injury or illness. And, they may lack social support networks.

All of these concerns make it difficult for some veterans to easily return to civilian life after having served. Veterans facing the risk of homelessness also often spend over 50% of their income on housing-related costs.

As one of the largest and most comprehensive programs for the homeless in the state, HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program (HIP) provides a network of services to treat the whole person, as he or she moves from homelessness into housing, employment and self-sufficiency.

HIP’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) successfully helps homeless veterans everyday who are struggling to adjust back to civilian life. (Read about veterans Ricky Wallace and Jeff Smith.)

Share Some Heart

Your support in helping us raise $10,000 for HIP by March 10 gives our city’s heroes a chance to start again.  And, it’s a great way to show some love for a hero in YOUR life!

Check out our Open Doors with Care page to see how you can help!

And, one fact that is not at the forefront of people’s minds when thinking about homelessness is the amount of VETERANS who are homeless. According to National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 23% of all homeless persons are veterans.  Almost 1 in 4 homeless persons served our country and protected our right to live ANYWHERE that we want to live, build any kind of house we want, and to be free in doing so.

It is estimated that there are 700 homeless veterans throughout our Marion County community.  These are 700 people who sacrificed a portion of their lives to serve OUR community.

HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program (HIP) has a Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) which is a source for comprehensive veterans’ services.  This program is helping homeless veterans everyday who have fallen to low points because of either Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, an inability to adjust back to civilian life, or started off well and came upon a tragedy.

There are many reasons why people become homeless, but there should not be a reason why we cannot support at the VERY LEAST those who made a sacrifice to fight for our freedoms. Danny Fenster, who writes for change.org ‘s End Homelessness blog, gives information on the End Homlessness Act of 2010.  Through this act, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are able to work hand in hand with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to “provide assistance to homeless veterans in accessing HUD’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program.”

You can help too! Help provide homeless veterans with services by visiting HealthNet’s donation page and considering a small donation of $25 to pay for a nutrition pack or a 2-week bus pass.  Help those who PROTECTED us!