Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Welcome: We Are AllForVets !!!

We are AllforVets, a student group at Northeastern University, who is dedicated to helping less fortunate and homeless veterans in the New England area. Our goal is to help out local shelters and housing services by making it easier for people to donate goods, time and money. We hope you will join us in helping serve our veterans who once put their lives on the line to serve us.






Lets Serve Our Vets!

NU's All For Vets Fundraiser


All For Vets is hosting a fundraiser NOW thru SEPTEMBER 30, 2012.
Our homeless veterans need more than food and shelter. They need toiletries and other necessities for personal hygiene. We want our veterans looking, feeling and smelling good so they can reenter society and find good jobs.




Here is a list of items we are collecting.


Toiletries:
Toiletry travel bags
SOAP DISHES (for toiletry bag to reuse soap)
BARS OF SOAP
RAZORS
DEODORANT
FINGERNAIL CLIPPERS
SHAMPOO
COMBS
BRUSHES

We are also collecting Underclothes which includes T-SHIRTS, SOCKS and UNDERWEAR.

If you are a business and would like to donate any of these items or a kind citizen who would like to buy and/or donate items PLEASE CONTACT Michael Logan (mlogan1259@gmail.com) or Lee Rosmarin (rosmarin.l@husky.neu.edu).

Our Vets have served for us. It's time that we serve them!

¢hange FOR change: Monetary Donations

How to Donate

Veteran Shelters need your help! Funding a shelter takes a great deal of money and each year shelters are depending more and more on the support of generous donations to help keep them up and running. All gifts are Tax Deductible 

To help donate to the Boston VA click here
For more information on the VA Click Here

To help donate to the Massachusetts Veterans' Shelter click here
For more information on this shelter Click Here

To help donate to Habitat PLUS click here
For more information on this shelter Click Here

To help donate to the Southeastern Massachusetts Veteran's Shelter click here
For more information on this shelter Click Here

To help donate to the New England Center for Homeless Veterans click here
For more information on this shelter Click Here

To help donate to Veterans Hospice Homestead Shelters click here
For more information on this shelter Click Here


No $$? No time? No Problem. Donate New & Used Goods


In Kind Donations

Veteran shelters not only rely on monetary donations. They will gladly take in kind donations (new/ used goods). Our vets need clothes, toiletries, and food to survive. Each shelter has it's own 'wish list' that catalogs the things they are in most need of. If you are a business looking to donate goods or a simply generous citizen who has goods to give away please click on the links below to see the wish list for different Veterans shelters in the Massachusetts area.

New England Center for Homeless Veterans Wish List
For more information on this shelter Click Here

Boston VA Wish List
For more information on this shelter Click Here

Massachusetts Veterans' Shelter Wish List
For more information on this shelter Click Here

Southeastern Massachusetts Veteran Shelter Wish List
For more information on this shelter Click Here

Habitat PLUS Wish List
For more information on this shelter Click Here

Veteran Hospice Homestead  Wish List
For more information on this shelter Click Here

Hands On Help: Volunteering Opportunities


Need some volunteer hours to add to your resume or meet a school requirement? Feeling kind and  want to show love to our veterans? Below is a list of different Volunteer opportunities available. There are verteran shelters all over the Boston Area, and hopefully there is one near you!


For Volunteer opportunities at the Massachusetts Veteran's Shelter Click Here
For more information on this shelter Click Here

For Volunteer opportunities at the Southeastern Massachusetts Veteran Shelter Click Here
For more information on this shelter Click Here

For Volunteer opportunities at the Veteran's Hospice Homestead Click Here
For more information on this shelter Click Here

For Volunteer opportunities at the New England Veteran's Center for Homeless Veterans Click Here
For more information on this shelter Click Here




HERE ARE SOME PICS ALLFORVETS TOOK WHILE WE VOLUNTEERED at the NECHV.




It feels good to volunteer and give back!
If you have or you plan on volunteering to help homeless veterans, tell us all about it. Send us pics and we will create a blog post about your experience. 
Email letshelpourvetsboston@gmail.com


Know a Vet Who Needs a Home?



Here's a list of shelters in Massachusetts that are specifically for Homeless Veterans. If you contact one of these shelters, they will be happy to accommodate you or a veteran you know. Be an advocate for any veterans in your neighborhood! Let them know there beds and meals waiting for them. 

Massachusetts Veterans’ Shelter
69 Grove Street
Worcester, MA 01605
(508) 791-5348
Fax: (508) 791-5296
Southeastern Massachusetts Veterans Housing Program, Inc.
20 Willis Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 990-3458
Fax: (508) 999-3909
New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans
17 Court Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 371-1800
Fax: (617) 371-1755
Web: http://www.neshv.org/

Veterans Hospice Homestead
69 High Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
(978) 353-0234
Fax: (978) 345-0926
Habitat P.L.U.S., Inc.
516-520 Essex Street
Lynn, MA 01902
(781) 599-8578
Fax: (781) 593-6332
Turner House Center for Veterans, Inc.
825 Simonds Road
P.O. Box 71
Williamstown, MA 01267
(413) 458-1819
Fax: 458-8234

Boston VA


Boston Veteran Affairs



The Department of Veteran Affairs is one of the most important means for homeless veterans to help remedy their situation. The VA educates and provides a wide range of benefits for veterans including, Disability, Education and Training, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, Home Loan Guaranty, Dependent and Survivor Benefits, Medical Treatment, Life Insurance and Burial Benefits.

In 2009, President Obama appointed Secretary Eric K. Shinseki to lead a massive transformation of the VA into a high-performing 21st century organization that can better serve Veterans. Under the leadership of Secretary Shinseki, the VA has adopted three guiding principles to govern the changes underway, namely being people-centric, results-driven, and forward-looking.

Services:
Completely free for those who are eligible, a broad Range of medical, dental, mental health, social work, rehabilitation and women’s programs.
For the complete list http://www.boston.va.gov/services/

Eligibility:
Eligibility requires not just having been honorably discharged from the armed services but any one of a few more requirements must be met. An application must be filled out. To check for eligibility.

Other programs:
 A great deal of smaller programs helping veterans adjust and be successful exist within the VA. Here are a few. 
Employment Opportunities for Vets - http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/20120809a.asp
Fisher House (Housing for veterans)
-http://www.boston.va.gov/fisher_house.asp

Here's A List of VAs in The Boston Area. :

Brockton
940 Belmont Street
Brockton, MA 02301

Jamaica Plain
150 South Huntington Avenue
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-232-9500

West Roxbury-
1400 Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway
West Roxbury, MA 02132
617-323-7700

Shelter: Veterans Hospice Homestead

Veterans Hospice Homestead

69 High Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
(978) 353-0234 (tel)
(978)345-0926 (fax)

http://www.veteranhomestead.org/facilities/veteranhospice.html

Veteran Hospice Homestead is a specialized transitional housing program to service homeless veterans who are diagnosed with terminal illness and are no longer able to care for themselves.The CEO, Leslie Lightfoot, founded the first veteran Homestead in Leominster in 1993. He has since expanded the organization and has numerous homesteads in New England and Puerto Rico. This specific Hospice Homestead is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It is a residential facility with seven bedrooms, five baths and will accommodate up to twelve residents at a time in both single and double rooms.

Veterans Hospice Homestead Services include:
  • Specialized Counseling
  • Food
  • Medical Health
  • Transportation
  • Advocacy
  • Peer Counseling 
  • Clergy
  • Attorney
  • Home Health Aids
  • SSI Case Management
  • Specialized counseling

To help donate to Veterans Hospice Homestead Shelters click here

Veteran Hospice Homestead  Wish List

Shelter: Habitat P.L.U.S., Inc.



Habitat P.L.U.S., Inc.
516-520 Essex Street
Lynn, MA 01902
(781) 599-8578
Fax: (781) 593-6332

Habitat P.L.U.S. Inc. provides interim, transitional, supportive and sober housing to psychiatric disabled homeless veterans. Habitat P.L.U.S. is  treatment modality for vets with psychiatric issues. It does not directly treat the vets but provides re-enforcement, support and supervision in seeing that the Veterans follow the recommendations of their treatment team. P.L.U.S. is one of the smaller shelters in the Boston Area, but one homeless veteran is one too many. The mission of Habitat P.L.U.S is to provide homeless veterans with information on existing veterans programs and advocate on their behalf while assisting them by offering stable housing.

Habitat P.L.U.S. Inc Services:

  • 1 and 2 bedroom apartments 
  • 3 meals a day 
  • skills management
  • paid referrals for treatment and services outside of Habitat PLUS 
  • supervision of self-medicating residents. 
  • transitional housing 

To help donate to Habitat PLUS click here
Habitat PLUS Wish List


Shelter: Southeastern Massachusetts Veterans Housing Program, Inc.


Southeastern Massachusetts Veterans Housing  Program 


Veterans Transition House
20 Willis Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508)990-3458
Fax:(508)999-3909

The Southeastern Mass Veterans Housing Program inc was founded in 1990 by a group of Vietnam veterans as well as local community leaders. It is a private, nonprofit corporation known as the Veterans Transition House. Originally having just ten single rooms for occupancy, it has now expanded to 50 beds for males veterans and is in the process of building 10 beds for female veterans. The Graduate program has 17 units of supportive housing. The mission of the VTH Graduate Programs is to provide independent, affordable, structured, drug and alcohol-free houses to veterans in order that they can use the lessons learned in the initial VTH program with the goal of achieving successful independent living within the community. So far the Southeastern Massachusetts Veterans Housing Program provided aid to over 2,000 veterans.

Southeastern Massachusetts Veterans Shelter's Services:
  • 50 beds
  • 17 supportive housing units
  • Relape Prevention classes
  • Drug education classes 
  • Nutrition and health classes
  • Anger management
  • Computer training
  • Home placement
  • Free referrals to Outside service providers for
  • Psychiatric and psychological counseling
  • Addiction counseling
  • Medical care
  • Career counseling 
Southeastern Massachusetts Veteran Shelter Wish List
For Volunteer opportunities at the Southeastern Massachusetts Veteran Shelter Click Here
To help donate to the Southeastern Massachusetts Veteran's Shelter click here


Shelter: Massachusetts Veterans's Shelter



Massachusetts Veterans’ Shelter
69 Grove Street
Worcester, MA 01605
(508) 791-5348
Fax: (508) 791-5296




The Massachusetts Veterans' Shelter (MVS) is a national leader in ending homelessness. Since 1991, the Massachusetts Veteran's shelter has helped over 50,000 veterans and 85% of vets that seek help here transition out of homelessness. The mission of MVS is to provide homeless veterans with a home and give them the tools they need to rebuild their lives.


Massachusetts Veteran's Shelter Services:
To help donate to the Massachusetts Veterans' Shelter click here
Massachusetts Veterans' Shelter Wish List
For Volunteer opportunities at the Massachusetts Veteran's Shelter Click Here




Shelter: New England Center for Homeless Veterans

17 Court St
Boston, Ma 02128
(617)371-1800


The New England Center for Homeless Veterans (NECHV) is a 40,000 square foot, ten-story building making it the LARGEST veteran shelter in the nation! NECHV not only houses hundreds of homeless veterans, but it provides 3 meals a day, workshop classes geared at employment, as well as healthcare and mental health services. Since opening its doors in 1990, NECHV has housed and catered to more than 15,000 veterans.



Here are the many services and programs the NECHV has to offer:

  • Emergency shelter: 300 beds (Lockers and showers are available)
  • Provides clothing and toiletries too veterans at no cost
  • Provides 3 meals a day to veterans at no cost 
  • 60 single housing units
  • 16 bed dormitory for female veterans  
  • Project Access: Addiction & Mental health Counseling 
  • 24 hour Medical Care 
  • Transitional Housing Program
  • Senior Services Program
  • Stay in Program for veterans with severe medical/physical/psychological conditions
  • Workshops/Seminars/Job Placement Programs:
    • Computer skills training
    • Job search skills
    • Career Management Seminars
    • Security Officer Training Course
    • Commercial driver licence
    • fundamentals of culinary art
THE NECHV SERVES OUR VETERANS 24 HOURS A DAY & WILL NOT TURN ANYONE AWAY.

To help donate to the New England Center for Homeless Veterans click here
For Volunteer opportunities at the New England Veteran's Center for Homeless Veterans Click Here
New England Center for Homeless Veterans Wish List


OUR VETS HAVE SERVED FOR US. ITS TIME WE SERVE THEM!

 LETS SERVE OUR VETS!