Veterans First Ltd.

Preventing homelessness and stabilizing lives among our Women Veterans while providing referrals, resources and information to all Veterans, their families and caregivers.

We are dedicated to continuing the journey of developing and establishing programs that meet the unique and challenging needs of our Women Veterans. (Single and those with Children)

Mary Ellen's Place, Phoenix, AZ:
Affordable Housing for Single Women Veterans with supportive services and programs that prevent homelessness and stabilize lives.

Advocacy:
Provide support and walk side-by-side with them through their journey to stability which includes, but not limited to Veterans Affairs - benefits-entitlements - physical & mental healthcare issues, legal and financial issues, employment, education, equality and housing.

Spiritual Support for all Denominations:

Raising Awareness of Women Veteran Issues:
Accomplished through speaking engagements across the state on issues that affect our Veterans and Military Women. 54,000+ Women Veterans in AZ and 2.2 million nationally.

"Hand Up" Program:
Many of our Women Veterans have encountered unfortunate circumstances through no fault of their own for many and need a "hand up". The program provides financial and in-kind assistance with rent, utilities, food, bus passes, vehicles, gift cards, computers, education, household, personal items and children's needs. This programs focuses on assisting struggling Women Veterans across Arizona. (Providing a "Hand Up" not a "Hand Out")

Emergency Housing:
We assist single Veterans and Veteran families with hotel stays to prevent them from being on the streets and/or in unsafe situations until they can get services that provide shelter or housing. Without this service, they would be sleeping in their vehicles, on the streets with children, or a place that was unsafe for them and their children.

Outreach Program: "Building a Bridge to Trust":
Locating our struggling Women Veterans in the communities in which they live throughout Arizona; building trust and giving them hope for the future.

Education "Building a Bridge to Achievement":
Clemente Course in the Humanities provides free, accredited college courses in the Humanities to those marginalized by economic hardship and adverse circumstances. The Clemente Course provides a rigorous education in Literature, Philosophy, American History, Art History, and Critical Thinking and Writing. The experience of Clemente students around the world has demonstrated that through the dialectics of learning, in a caring and respectful classroom, participants develop crucial tools to set in motion personal and societal change, and are empowered to participate more fully in life. They can earn 6 credit hours in Humanities. First class graduated June 2016. Next class starts March 2017.

Employment "Building a Bridge to Success"
This program is focused on what our Women Veterans want as a career, not just a job. Goal is to empower Women Veterans to achieve long term stability through attainment of a career, employment skills, access to community resources, employers, educators, and the confidence to persevere in the attainment of their goals. This program consists of career navigation to develop a career and/or educational path through assessments, case management, workshops, intensive career counseling, internships and placement services.

Youth for Troops, Veterans, and their Children:
Providing financial and in-kind assistance for medical, dental, education, diapers, cloths, shoes, school supplies, furniture, books, toys for children; home visits with our elderly Veterans to ensure they have what they need; and care packages for our Troops.

Veterans Being Released from Prison:
Through our network of supporters, we provide in-kind donations such as clothing, shoes, and hygiene items to Federal and State Prison Outreach Coordinators and organizations that assist Veterans with jobs, housing, programs, and services when getting out of prison.

Male Veterans, Military and Veteran Families, and Caregivers:
We provide resources and referrals, in-kind donations, emergency housing (hotel rooms), and make sure they get to an organization or agency that can take care of their specific needs.

Partnerships:
National Advocacy and Training Network (NATN), Seeds Program (Support, Education, Empowerment & Direction) - Addresses the unmet needs of domestic violence and substance abused women.
Sister Jose Women's Center, Tucson, AZ - Assists Homeless Women. VFL will have an office to assist the Women Veterans that come into the Center upon opening in April-May 2017.
Serving Our Sisters VA Program - We are the Community Partner for this program. VFL assists Women Veterans in navigating through the Phoenix VA Hospital...

Testimonials

Navy Veteran, Retired.

She came to see Joan Sisco's office at Veterans First Ltd. on May 16, 2014 ready to sleep in her car that night...