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VETERAN MORTGAGE PROGRAM
Honoring Our Veterans Is A Priority When Craig graduated from high school, he new his future was to join the U.S. Army and serve his country. He always imagined being a part of something bigger and the U.S. Army was his destiny. Craig was injured during a training incident during his second deployment to Afghanistan. After several surgeries and months of physical therapy to learn to walk again, Craig was able to rejoin his team. Soon after his return to Afghanistan, Craig was shot in his shoulder by a sniper during his third deployment. After more than 15 surgeries, three fusions, and a bone graph, Craig was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army. These injuries make the simplest things very difficult for Craig. He has challenges walking stairs, getting in and out of the shower as well as the tub, and moving around his property. The Veterans Administration referred Craig to Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana. The staff met with Craig and determined that we could help make his life a little easier. Volunteers of America’s construction crew began renovations to install grab bars in his bathroom and erected several ramps throughout his property. Around the same time as the repairs were completed on Craig’s home, we began working with the trustees of the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust to develop a life-changing program for disabled veterans. From these conversations came the “Disabled Veterans Mortgage Assistance Program,” supported by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust. This program will provide at least one eligible Without proper social disabled veteran with transformative financial assistance in the form of paying off support after their mortgage. This program will identify, screen, and select an eligible discharge, the risk of individual to receive assistance. going homeless is Congratulations to Craig, who was the first recipient to receive a mortgage extremely high pay-off. We are thankful to the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust for its support among veterans. through the years, and we are thankful to donors like you who are making sure They account for 11% that veterans like Craig are never forgotten. of homeless adults “Help the people who have helped you,” said Craig. “Don’t forget about the in the US. ones that sacrificed everything for the life that you live now.”