Message from the Executive Director
Village for Vets celebrates our eighth year of dedicated service to our Veterans in Los Angeles. 2024 was a remarkable year of growth for Village for Vets. We expanded our team with two new Board members with extensive Veteran experience, a new Executive Director, Senior Leadership team, 21 new staff members, and housed 275 Veterans. Village for Vets has firmly established itself as one of the top homeless Veteran service providers in Los Angeles County.
Vision & Mission
Who We Serve
Village for Vets houses and provides services to the most service resistant and at-risk Veterans.
How We Serve
Through programs providing meals, emergency financial assistance, support for basic needs, social support, and links to resources and referrals to remove barriers and navigate Veterans to housing stability.
Mission
Village for Vets fills critical gaps in key services for homeless and at-risk Veterans on their journey to stability and independence in greater Los Angeles and beyond.
2024 Highlights
Increased Accessibility and Expansion
Secured office space on Wilshire Blvd. and at Patriotic Hall.
Hired 21 additional staff across programs.
Hosted a mobile dental clinic in partnership with USC School of Dentistry, ensuring that those Veterans with no access to dental services get the care they need.
Strengthened the Veteran Street Academy program, ensuring flexible and immediate support for Veterans who are ineligible or have exhausted federal programs.
Management Business Review
We take pride in maintaining a high standard of fiscal responsibility, with 96% of funds directly supporting programs and services for Veterans. Our financial stewardship ensures every dollar is maximized to make the greatest possible impact.
The success of Village for Vets in 2024 would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our dedicated donors. This year, we prioritized deepening our connections with individual and corporate donors, fostering partnerships that align with our mission to end Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles. In 2024, we welcomed over 45 new donors, reflecting a growing awareness of and trust in our work.
Significant contributions from corporate and foundation partners, such as American Legion, The Don & Lorraine Freeberg Foundation, Change Reaction, The Delta Dental Community Foundation and the Johnny Carson Foundation, allowed us to expand key programs like Veteran Street Academy and dental clinic services.
Client Success Stories
"One day, I walked into the Village for Vets Office looking to get help with my deposit on an apartment I found but truthfully couldn't afford. Later that week, I received a life-changing phone call from Gloria, one of Village for Vets’ housing specialists. I told Gloria my plans for where I wanted to stay, and within that week, Gloria found me a better apartment than the one I was looking at. It was in an even better location, 1.5 miles from the Santa Monica Pier. Not only did Gloria help me find the perfect place to start over, but with her help, as well as the staff at Village For Vets, I was given most of my appliances. Gloria and the staff at Village for Vets have made my transition extremely easy, and they are now helping me with employment as I aim to pursue a career as a peer support specialist." - Irwin (currently a Peer Support at the VA)
"I'm extremely appreciative of Village for Vets! The housing process went smoothly; I brought them my necessary documents, and they found several places that best complemented me. Lastly, I got to make the final decision and got the keys. Being housed means a lot; it creates a foundation for me, and many others, to have stability in all aspects, which is very important!"
- Perris
Looking Ahead...
Village for Vets has a lot of positive momentum going into 2025 to help even more of our hardest to serve Veterans. We are going to expand our Veteran Street Academy to provide those flexible service needs that Veterans cannot get anywhere else. This necessitates increasing our funding sources by expanding our fundraising base with donors, corporations and all others who share the passion to end homelessness for all our Veterans. Preparations are in place for obtaining CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) this spring, which establishes high quality and standards for of our services and extends our foundational federal funding for three years.
There are also many exciting opportunities coming up on the VA campus that Village for Vets is leading the way for. Permanent housing units continue to be built and opened. We are there to help Veterans sign those leases and move in right away. The new Peer Center on campus is also helping shape the community and culture for Veterans now living on campus. Our leadership, peer support specialists and volunteers are going to play an integral role in turning that location into an essential hub for our Veterans to be engaging in positive activities and events. We are proudly cultivating a Village for Vets at the VA.