All of us at Friends of Veterans are saddened to hear of Jimmy Newberry's passing. Jimmy was a founding member and president of our great organization; he inspired many of us to join up and assist veterans and their families who reside and New Hampshire and Vermont. Jimmy will be missed by so many of us who either joined FOV or were assisted by his passion to help those in need
On June 10, 2019, Friends of Veterans will hold its annual fundraiser at the Baker Hill Golf Club in Newbury, New Hampshire.
The event is completely sold out; however, we need Hole Sponsors ($100) and Freedom Sponsors ($250). A poster will be visibly displayed with the donor name(s).
For two consecutive years, Friends of Veterans has provided over $100,000 in financial assistance to veterans and their families who reside in New Hampshire or Vermont.
Please consider becoming a very important sponsor to our mission of preventing homelessness. Checks may be sent to:
Friends of Veterans
28 Farmvu Drive Suite 3
White River Junction, Vermont 05001
The event is completely sold out; however, we need Hole Sponsors ($100) and Freedom Sponsors ($250). A poster will be visibly displayed with the donor name(s).
For two consecutive years, Friends of Veterans has provided over $100,000 in financial assistance to veterans and their families who reside in New Hampshire or Vermont.
Please consider becoming a very important sponsor to our mission of preventing homelessness. Checks may be sent to:
Friends of Veterans
28 Farmvu Drive Suite 3
White River Junction, Vermont 05001
FOV has moved! About 1/10 of a mile, to 28 Farmvu Drive, suite 3. Many thanks to Red River, Key Communications LLC, and All-Star White River Junction LLC for all of their help and donations to make this move happen at an affordable cost! It was absolutely amazing to see what our all-volunteer staff accomplished in 2 days.
We have been informed by the Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society that Friends of Veterans will be one of the 2019 recipients of their Pennies for Change program!!! We were also selected in 2018, and are grateful for the Society's recognition of our efforts.
Volunteers Needed
Friends of Veterans has provided over $100,000 to New Hampshire and Vermont veterans and their families for the last two years. To keep this trend going FOV needs additional volunteers to fill two critical positions.
Caseworkers
Additional caseworkers are required to keep up with assistance requests. No previous experience necessary - only a sincere desire to assist veterans and their families. All work is within the office and requires a three to four hour commitment per week. Tasks are generally related to e-mail, fax and telephone communications, entry into a database, and inquiries to clients. All training is with an existing volunteer. You do not need to be a veteran to volunteer.
IT Support
Additional IT support is needed to assist our current volunteer IT manager. We are Windows based and currently use an Access database for client processing. Website and Facebook maintenance, plus interface with vendors such as Comcast, virus protection, backup and fax. Also password security and computer, printer and networking problem resolution required. Hours are flexible.
Call Friends of Veterans at 802-296-8368 or apply here.
Friends of Veterans has provided over $100,000 to New Hampshire and Vermont veterans and their families for the last two years. To keep this trend going FOV needs additional volunteers to fill two critical positions.
Caseworkers
Additional caseworkers are required to keep up with assistance requests. No previous experience necessary - only a sincere desire to assist veterans and their families. All work is within the office and requires a three to four hour commitment per week. Tasks are generally related to e-mail, fax and telephone communications, entry into a database, and inquiries to clients. All training is with an existing volunteer. You do not need to be a veteran to volunteer.
IT Support
Additional IT support is needed to assist our current volunteer IT manager. We are Windows based and currently use an Access database for client processing. Website and Facebook maintenance, plus interface with vendors such as Comcast, virus protection, backup and fax. Also password security and computer, printer and networking problem resolution required. Hours are flexible.
Call Friends of Veterans at 802-296-8368 or apply here.
Friends of Veterans Announces Additional Funds Available For Service Dogs
Friends of Veterans recently received a grant that will be used to support combat veterans with PTSD in need of a service dog.. The partnership of The Red River Charitable Foundation and Friends of Veterans continues to entertain requests for assistance in acquiring a service dog.
A combat veteran with PTSD and who has been prescribed to attain a fully certified service dog should contact Friends of Veterans for guidance. In addition, if a combat veteran has a fully certified service dog, he or she may apply for financial assistance for veterinarian bills and other annual care expenses.
Below is U.S. Army veteran Mark Lawton with his service dog Baxter. Mark and Baxter graduated Sunday May 6 in Conway, New Hampshire. Mark was seriously hurt in Iraq when an IED exploded causing Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
Friends of Veterans and the Red River Charitable Foundation proudly support Mark and Baxter's hard work to successfully graduate service dog training.
Friends of Veterans recently received a grant that will be used to support combat veterans with PTSD in need of a service dog.. The partnership of The Red River Charitable Foundation and Friends of Veterans continues to entertain requests for assistance in acquiring a service dog.
A combat veteran with PTSD and who has been prescribed to attain a fully certified service dog should contact Friends of Veterans for guidance. In addition, if a combat veteran has a fully certified service dog, he or she may apply for financial assistance for veterinarian bills and other annual care expenses.
Below is U.S. Army veteran Mark Lawton with his service dog Baxter. Mark and Baxter graduated Sunday May 6 in Conway, New Hampshire. Mark was seriously hurt in Iraq when an IED exploded causing Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
Friends of Veterans and the Red River Charitable Foundation proudly support Mark and Baxter's hard work to successfully graduate service dog training.
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News Release February 12, 2019
Friends of Veterans, a non-profit organization in White River Junction, Vermont recently announced that for the second successive year the organization has provided over $100,000 to veterans and their families who reside in New Hampshire and Vermont. For the two-year period of 2017 and 2018, Friends of Veterans (FOV) has averaged $120K in assistance. In comparison, during 2011 and 2012, the organization averaged $25K. FOV is an all-volunteer organization- there is no paid staff. The basic mission is preventing homelessness for veterans; the types of assistance that the organization provides is directly associated with keeping veterans and their families off the streets. Rental assistance when eviction is imminent and mortgage assistance when foreclosure is imminent were the initial endeavors when FOV started some thirty plus years ago. Over the last several years FOV has increased its financial assistance to include heating fuel when state and local agencies have exhausted their resources. Fuel assistance has been accomplished through a partnership and grant with the Red River Charitable Foundation in Claremont, New Hampshire. Recently, FOV has started assisting veterans in need of home repairs if it is a livability issue- such as losing the furnace in the winter. The latest offering, also in partnership with the Red River Charitable Foundation and with a special service dog grant, has been working with combat veterans with PTSD to acquire a certified service dog. Recent efforts have resulted in two New Hampshire veterans with serious injuries from IED explosions attain a service dog. Friends of Veterans raises money through volunteer grant writing and through its annual golf fundraiser. FOV often partners with other organizations to share the cost of the veteran assistance. The organization feels it is in a unique financial situation because all individual donations and grant monies are used to assist veterans. FOV’s annual fundraising event is used to pay overhead and operating expenses. Over the last several years, the organization assisted veterans from all over the two-state area- from Bennington to St Albans and from Nashua to Littleton. In 2017 and 2018, a total of 337 veterans and their families received financial assistance from FOV. FOV receives referrals on a daily basis from VA social workers through- out the two-state area and from a number of other agencies. Veterans in need of assistance can apply through the website www.fovvtnh.org, inquire via e-mail at assistance@fovvtnh.org or call the office at 802 296-8368. In addition, the organization is always looking for new volunteers (veterans and non-veterans) to spend four hours a week doing case work, grant writing or assisting with IT systems. Thank You to Our 2017 Annual Fundraiser Sponsors As we begin preparations for our 2018 Annual Golf Fundraiser on June 4, 2018, we again would like to say thank you to our 2017 Major Sponsors and our Freedom Sponsors! 2017 Major Sponsors Tournament Sponsor The Red River Charitable Foundation Presenting Sponsor Crown Point Cabinetry Liberty Sponsor Anonymous Stars and Stripes Sponsor Home Partners Eagle Spirit Sponsor Ennis Construction 2017 Freedom Sponsors Golf and Ski Warehouse Better Home Enterprises Gateway Motors EME Management American Legion Post 25 Central Vermont Communications American Legion Post 22 Pete Lovely Van and Deborah Chandler Janet and Chuck Thibeault Kathy and Pete Davis Brian Tart American Legion Post 29 Yankee Barn Homes NH Realtors Association Ginny and Patt Taylor In Memory of Navy Veteran Mitch Leonard, Jr Service Dogs In partnership with The Red River Charitable Foundation, Friends of Veterans just provided funds for a fourth service dog. Craig Souza of Plymouth, New Hampshire was seriously wounded in Iraq and is wheel chair bound. Craig is now linked up with Donali a nine week old Black Lab who will be Craig’s service dog. We continue to accept inquiries and applications from combat veterans with PTSD who require a service dog. New Sponsor Friends of Veterans welcomes our new partnership with Cantore Pizza located 1 Glen Road in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. Cantore Pizza is a major supporter of veterans in the Upper Valley and has pledged on-going support to Friends of Veterans from the its first Monday of the month pizza business. Thank You Cantore Pizza! Serving Veterans and their Families
Veteran homelessness remains a serious issue that requires ongoing attention by all of us in the community. Although the national veteran homeless rate has decreased 39% in the last five years, the combined veteran homeless rate in New Hampshire and Vermont has actually increased by 15% in the last year.
Veteran homelessness rates remain substantially higher than rates for the general population. Friends of Veterans works tirelessly to assist veterans and their families who reside in New Hampshire or Vermont and are in imminent danger of becoming homeless. We are one of the very few organizations that is 100% volunteer; we have no paid staff. Friends of Veterans is an all volunteer 501 (c) 3 organization comprised of veterans and non-veterans. We welcome all who would like to assist our nation’s heroes. |
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Although there are many local and national efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, we expect the veteran homeless challenge to be significant well into the future. Recent forecasts reflect that as many as 200,000 military men and women will exit the armed services due to national budget (sequestration) issues. Many will return to civilian life less than adequately prepared to attain a meaningful job in a tough employment environment. At the same time, National Guard and Reserve outfits will continue to be activated and deployed to foreign lands. As NPR has recently reported, National Guard and Reserve troops find it very difficult to keep their jobs because of many unscheduled or extended deployments. Both New Hampshire and Vermont guard units have been (and are) deployed.
