Meet Colin, a Navy Veteran
Colin served in the Navy from 1990 to 1995. He relocated to Louisiana with his partner, Sam. Life was great until a hurricane destroyed everything they owned. They moved to New Mexico with the help of FEMA and we doing well until Sam became seriously ill and had to be treated at the local hospital. Treatment costs broke the bank, and Colin and Sam found themselves homeless. A nurse at the hospital told the couple about the VIC, and at first Colin was embarrassed to ask for help. The couple were enrolled in the VIC's Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, where they worked with a VIC case manager to locate housing and get stable again. Our Housing Specialist helped them find an apartment and through our program they were able to move into a new home, where we provided financial assistance and helped them get back on their feet with the continued medical care Sam required. While Sam recuperated at home, Colin began to work with a Veteran Employment Representative at the local Workforce office and soon found employment. With the help of his VIC case manager, Colin also began to work on filing for VA disability. Colin and Sam have always expressed their gratitude to the VIC for helping them in their time of need, and for not judging them on their lifestyle. Colin later reported to his Case Manager that Sam had a medical relapse and the prognosis wasn’t good. VIC staff visited them to lend their support and provided some meals so that the couple could focus on the medical needs. Sam unfortunately passed away in 2019, and our team continues to check in with Colin to make sure he knows he can come to the VIC if he needs us, and that we are only a phone call away.
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