For Veterans Wisconsin
WISCONSIN VETERANS
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU CONTACT US:
DISCLAIMER
Homeless To Independence Inc. is a 501©3 non-profit organization. We are self supporting and we do NOT receive any government grant funding what-so-ever to pay bills for anyone in any situation. We do not give away money. We do not give out loans against any money.
This ministry is supported with generous financial donations that are used to help keep us functioning. Our purpose is to help supply individuals and families with personal needs such as food, toiletries, clothing, household items, furniture and baby/adult diapers/wipes both locally and to areas effected by disasters . At this time, we do not offer any shelter or transitional housing services. Again, we DO NOT pay any bills. We DO NOT pay any rents or mortgages.
If you are actually homeless, or about to be homeless or need emergency assistance of any kind, DIAL “211” from a land-line telephone. This will not work from a cell telephone. Tell the receiver your situation and what you need. They will give you information specific for the location you are currently in plus any referrals you may need. They have the most up to the minute information for your specific area. Dialing “211” will get you help and much more info than this office can provide. Homeless to Independence wants you to have all the information you need to get through the situation you are in.
Don’t have a land-line telephone??? Go to your local police department, library, or house of worship and ask to use their land-line telephone. They may even make the call on your behalf.
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2. CHOOSE YOUR STATE/COMMONWEALTH/TERRITORY;
3. CHOOSE THAT STATE/COMMONWEALTH/TERRITORY’S EMPLOYMENT PAGE.
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Homeless To Independence Inc. is not responsible for misprints or cancellations of events by the event holders, landlord and/or their agent, or ourselves. Homeless to Independence Inc. also reserves the right to “NOT” offer services to people and/or persons that are rude, unpleasant, and untruthful in any way shape or form, belligerent and the like.
OCCASIONALLY, THERE WILL BE ARTICLES BY OTHER WRITERS. HOMELESS TO INDEPENDENCE MAY NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THEIR VIEWPOINTS, BUT WE DO RESPECT THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!
OFFICE CONTACT INFO:
HOMELESS TO INDEPENDENCE INC., 201 STATION ROAD #258, QUAKERTOWN, PA 18951
THE VERY BEST WAY TO CONTACT ME IS TO SEND ME AN EMAIL: ANN@HOMELESSTOINDEPENDENCE.ORG
OFFICE NUMBER IS: 1-908-454-1500 LISTEN TO THE RECORDING
Please note that our office does have very limited volunteer staff and if we are one telephone line we cannot answer the other line. There is simply not enough time in the day to answer and/or return each and every telephone call.
THANK YOU!!!
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Find assistance as a vet, spouse, or dependent
One hundred and fifty years ago today, President Lincoln signed a law establishing the first federal veterans’ facility for disabled Civil War veterans. This facility gave root to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ assistance programs.
Today, the VA offers many benefits and services to eligible veterans and connects our military service men and women with resources across the country. Share this information with a veteran you know, or an organization that helps veterans.
LINK: http://explore.va.gov/
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All employment information and career event information can be found here:
Wisconsin Employment
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All housing information can be found here:
Wisconsin Affordable Rentals
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MARCH 2024 |
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WDVA Celebrates Women’s History MonthFor more than four decades, the month of March has been celebrated as Women’s History Month. WDVA continues to recognize the significant contributions of women who are committed to our common quest for freedom and opportunity. We also recognize the exceptional contributions women have made while serving in our nation’s armed forces over the generations. Please visit and follow our Women Veterans of Wisconsin page for upcoming programs, news, and events taking place year-round for women veterans.
Governor Evers Signs Into Law Four New Bills Positively Impacting Wisconsin VeteransOn Friday, March 22, Governor Tony Evers signed several veteran bills into law. WDVA Secretary-designee James Bond attended the signing which included bills that will allow veteran spouses admission to state veterans homes before admission of the eligible veteran, allows veteran status on state IDs for Hmong soldiers who supported U.S. forces in Laos, changes CVSO grant eligibility, updates state cemetery residency, and more. WDVA is grateful to all who supported legislation to improve Wisconsin veterans’ lives. We are especially grateful to the authors of AB 1079, Speaker Robin Vos, Representative Kevin Petersen, Senator Van Wanggaard, Senator Joan Ballweg, and Senator Patrick Testin for working with us to get these much needed changes passed and signed into law. Read more about the details of the legislation here. Women Veterans Retreat Registration Now OpenThe 2024 Annual Women Veterans Retreat is now open for registration! WDVA is thrilled to celebrate Wisconsin Women’s Veterans Day at this retreat. Join us for an opportunity to recharge, reconnect, and connect with women veterans like you! The retreat will begin Friday, June 7th, at 4:00 p.m. (the evening will conclude at 8:00 p.m.), starting with a few informal icebreaker activities, dinner, outdoor activities, and smores’ around the fire. Saturday morning registration will open at 7:30 a.m. (for those not in attendance for Friday evening activities).The first scheduled activity of early morning yoga will begin at 8:00 a.m., and all activities will be concluded by 3:00 p.m. To register and find information on accommodations and be found by visiting the Women Veterans Retreat registration page. WDVA is grateful to our amazing friends at Trinity Equestrian Center for hosting the retreat once more. We hope you can join this wonderful retreat for women veterans! ‘No Next of Kin’ service held at SWVMCOn March 6, the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery (SWVMC) held a ‘no next of kin’ service (NNOK) with military honors for deceased veteran, Sgt. Gordon A. Streich. This special NNOK service occurs when there is no available family for a deceased veteran. Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) Secretary-designee James Bond attended the service and received the burial flag in memory of Sgt. Streich. He was joined by WDVA’s Amy Millard, Deputy Administrator of Veterans Benefits, and Andrea Northwood, Director of the Bureau of Veteran Cemeteries and Memorial Services. Also in attendance for the service were the majority of our SWVMC administration staff and caretakers.
Our WDVA staff at SWVMC are honored and privileged to conduct services for all those who have served our nation. Learn more about our southernmost cemetery on our website. *Pictured above in the front row. from right to left: WDVA Secretary-designee James Bond accepting the flag; Amy Millard, WDVA Deputy Administrator of Veteran Benefits; and Andrea Northwood, WDVA Director of the Bureau of Veteran Cemeteries and Memorial Services. New VA Outpatient Clinic Opens in OconomowocWDVA Secretary-designee James Bond was honored to give remarks at a ribbon-cutting on Friday, March 8, for the new 8,500-square-foot Oconomowoc VA Outpatient Clinic located at 1289 Olympia Fields Drive. The new clinic will bring world-class health care closer to home for some 5,500 eligible veterans in the Lake Country region west of Milwaukee. “The new Oconomowoc clinic will make a difference in the lives of veterans and their families,” Bond said. “WDVA stands with the VA as they serve veterans’ physical health needs and save lives every day with their mental health and therapeutic services.” The Oconomowoc clinic becomes the fifth community-based outpatient clinic under the Milwaukee VA umbrella, along with clinics in Green Bay, Appleton, Cleveland, and Union Grove. For all information on this clinic opening, please view the official story on VA.gov. View more pictures from the ribbon cutting event here. *Photo credit to Milwaukee VA. *Picture on left: WDVA Secretary-designee James Bond speaking at the ribbon cutting. *Picture on right: Ribbon cutting ceremony outside, from left, are Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow, state Sen. John Jagler, state Rep. Barbara Dittrich, Wangard Executive Chairman Stewart Wangard, Milwaukee VA Executive Director Jim McLain (holding scissors), Waukesha County Board Supervisor Matthew Weil, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary-designee James Bond and Oconomowoc Mayor Robert Magnus. WDVA Honors All Who Served in the Vietnam WarWDVA will take time to honor and remember the service and sacrifice of all who served in the Vietnam War on March 29. We also remember those who did not come home, and those who were prisoners of war. Learn more about Wisconsin’s veterans who served in Vietnam by visiting the Wisconsin Veterans Museum website or stopping by to view their exhibits on your next visit to downtown Madison. Great Career Opportunities Await with WDVA!Are you looking for a new career opportunity? WDVA is looking for great people to help us serve our veterans in Wisconsin. Our featured job this month is for an Assistant Administrator (Deputy Commandant) for our Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove. WDVA has many more available job openings across our state which includes various positions at our veteran memorial cemeteries, skilled caregivers at veteran homes, and administrative staff at our offices in Milwaukee and Madison. To view all available openings, and how to apply, please visit wisc.jobs today! |
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WISCONSIN VETERAN’S EVENTS:
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WE WELCOME ALL INFORMATION FOR EVENTS FOR OUR VETERANS IN WISCONSIN –
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM TO ME DIRECTLY AT: ANN@HOMELESSTOINDEPENDENCE.ORG
THERE IS NEVER A CHARGE FOR US TO HELP YOU GET THE WORD OUT –
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE! IT IS OUR DUTY TO SUPPORT YOU!
UPDATED 03-29-24
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SUPPORT THIS VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS!
#VetBiz Success: Army Vet Revitalizes Hotel and Her Community With SBA-Backed LendingKristine Ruehl bootstrapped her way from humble beginnings toward entrepreneurship with the Army Reserve, serving for eight years to help pay for college. From there she spent five years in commercial banking. When she saw the dilapidated Hotel Stebbins, she wanted to renovate it and improve the small community of Algoma, just south of Wisconsin’s summer capital Door County. Calling on her expertise and contacts in the banking world, she began the long road to bringing the hotel back to life and profitability in 2005. |
Ruehl phased renovations of the 1857 property with several SBA-backed loans. She started with purchasing the building and business, improving the restaurant and bar, and addressing urgent mechanical and structural problems. By May 2006, she was ready to take the hotel from a seasonal opening to year-round availability. “We didn’t have many employees those first years,” she says. “I tended bar, I cooked—I put in a lot of sweat equity.” Three years later, she updated the second floor to include 10 themed rooms. She also created a spacious executive condo out of former attic space on the third floor, which became a year-round revenue stream. In 2009, she renovated the building’s front exterior, and in 2015 added new carpeting, new bathrooms and other amenities in all units, conversion of unused space into a kitchen suite, and more. With this update, all of the hotel’s 4,000 square feet became dedicated to revenue generation. She also invested heavily from the beginning in the hotel website and online marketing, using her own capital as well as SBA-backed loans. “Marketing investment in the hospitality industry is an absolute necessity,” she says. “The website and our social media presence have attracted people from all over the world—and locals who haven’t been in since before I took over.” Hotel Stebbins has turned a profit every year except its first since the renovation. Revenues have grown since and held steady and employees have gone from six to 15 or 20 during the busy summer season. Hotel Stebbins also helped to spark the revitalization of downtown Algoma along with other young entrepreneurs and business owners, and Kristine has been recognized for her community contributions with the Algoma Chambers Leadership Award, Community Improvement Awards, and Kewaunee County’s Customer Service award. In 2019, Kristine was also nominated by her lender, Hometown Bank, for SBA’s Wisconsin Small Business Person of the Year award. “SBA–backed lending has helped me create a livelihood for myself and my employees and has brought jobs and vitality to this small community. As both a business owner and a former commercial banker, these loans really can make a difference for the small entrepreneur’s ability to start, grow, and expand a business.” |
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WDVA, Legion to Help Bury Indigent Veterans
MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) and the American Legion Department of Wisconsin today announced an effort to ensure that military veterans receive the proper burial they deserve. The partnership seeks to remedy a situation where a veteran may pass away without a next-of-kin claiming them or without the funding to hold a funeral for them.
Together, the WDVA and American Legion are working to reach out to the more than 450 funeral service providers in Wisconsin to identify the remains of deceased veterans who may be potentially eligible for a military burial..
Read more at:
WDVA and American Legion to Help Bury Indigent Veterans
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