homeless veteran - The Kitchen

14Jul 2022 by Ellen Herbig

The Kitchen to Break Ground on New Affordable Housing Development

The Kitchen, Inc. will break ground on a new affordable housing development Thursday, July 28 at 11am. The property, located at 550 N Duke Ave, is the future site of Maplewood Villas, a 44-unit affordable housing development designed for low-income and formerly homeless seniors—especially Veterans. The project is funded by The Missouri Housing Development Commission, Bank of Missouri, and CRA Investments. Maplewood Villas will include 44 two-bedroom, one-bathroom units for seniors 55 and older. All units will be ground-floor accessible units. 11 units will be set aside specifically to serve homeless Veterans. A portion of units will also be set aside for extremely low-income residents. Read more about Maplewood Villas. The groundbreaking is open to the public. Join The Kitchen at 550 N Duke Ave at 11am on July 28.…

16Jun 2022 by Ellen Herbig

New Affordable Housing Development: Maplewood Villas

Maplewood Villas will be a 44-unit affordable housing development for seniors 55+ Ending homelessness will take more than case management and housing assistance. Our community needs more housing options that are safe, affordable, and desirable to serve low-income families and individuals. The Kitchen, Inc. is excited to announce a new affordable housing development to help meet this need. Maplewood Villas, Affordable Housing for Seniors 55+ Maplewood Villas will be a 44-unit affordable housing development specifically designed for low-income and formally homeless seniors—especially Veterans. Funding for the project comes from the Missouri Housing Development Commission. Maplewood Villas will include 44 universally designed, two-bedroom, one-bathroom units for seniors 55 and older. All units will be ground-floor, accessible units. 11 units will be set aside specifically to serve homeless Veterans. A portion of…

22Jul 2020 by Ellen Herbig

Road to Stability

Our spotlight this week features a 51-year-old Army Veteran. He was happy to share his story but wished to remain anonymous. Growing Up Old School This Veteran grew up in Springdale, AR and “found out real early there is nothing in life for free.” At nine years old, he began working with his dad blocking mud on construction sites. He recalls returning to school in the fall as “quite a buff kid.” He credits his country, old-school upbringing for his work- and life-ethic. Connecting to Home at Last After losing his home, this Veteran found Home at Last after talking with the local VFW and Springfield VA hospital. Shortly after connecting with the program he had a major health crisis. In December 2019, he was admitted to Mercy Hospital unconscious.…

14Jul 2020 by Ellen Herbig

Life of a Case Manager

As a case manager, we are steadily finding the balance between office work and providing direct real-time service to our Veteran clients while out in the community. No day is the same as life happens, and we handle ongoing circumstances as they occur. Working the Case We are present at the beginning stages when a Veteran is looking for permanent housing, but really step in after they are housed. It is unrealistic to expect someone to focus on other goals before their basic needs of shelter and safety are met. Once the Veteran is stably housed, we help the Veteran work through a housing stability plan and budget to ensure they are taking active steps towards maintaining their housing. Case managers engage in regular contact with clients to ensure they…

07Jul 2020 by Ellen Herbig

Meet Glendy, a Veteran served by Home at Last

Glendy is a 62-year-old Army Veteran from Riverside, IL. She spent about 20 years in Sacramento, CA before finding her way to Springfield over a year ago. Glendy became homeless in 2019 after fleeing an abusive and hostile environment. Finding Home at Last Glendy found Home at Last through a referral from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Within a month, she was able to move into her new apartment. Glendy likes her landlord and was happy to find a place that allows her Cocker Spaniel, Artemis, to stay with her. Working Towards Stability Once stably housed, Glendy worked with her case manager, Patrick Haenni, on goals that would allow her to maintain stability after the program ends. Patrick helped Glendy complete the paperwork for a housing choice voucher through the…

01Jul 2020 by Ellen Herbig

One in Ten People Experiencing Homelessness is a Veteran.

What is Home at Last? Home at Last is a program of The Kitchen Inc. that works to end Veteran homelessness in our community. Home at Last is funded by the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Who We Serve Home at Last serves very low-income Veterans and their families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. We serve families in Greene, Christian, and Webster counties. More information about specific requirements can be found on our webpage or by contacting the office at (417) 225-7410. What We Do The focus of the program is housing stabilization. Home at Last provides individualized supports to help Veteran families rapidly secure and maintain permanent housing, which may include: Outreach to connect eligible Veterans with…