VERO BEACH, FL — Veterans in Indian River County who need help with home repairs, mental health care, rides to the VA or tutoring for their children will soon have one place to start.
United Way of Indian River County has launched Mission United, a program that connects veterans, active-duty military and their families to services through a single point of entry. As part of the launch, the Veterans Council of Indian River County, which has served local veterans for decades, is moving its programs under the United Way umbrella.
"It is a way for veterans and active military to really have one point of entry to find the services and referrals and resources that they need," said Meredith Egan, CEO of United Way of Indian River County.
Veterans and family members can find the Mission United page at unitedwayirc.org or call 772-410-5820.
Egan said United Way-funded programs, community resources and partners will be connected to veterans and their families through a more coordinated system across the county.
Mission United is part of a national United Way model, with teams embedded in United Ways to guide veterans through complex social service systems. Dr. Michael Fortunato, chairman of the Veterans Council, said there are about 30 nationwide and roughly 10 in Florida.
Each one looks different depending on the community. In most places, Fortunato said, Mission United started from scratch.
"In most counties, in fact, in all other counties, it was a start from scratch because there were no organizations that were providing veteran services like we do in Indian River County," he said.
Egan said United Way is also adding a new mental health component through a partnership with the Mental Health Collaborative.
The Veterans Council has been a United Way funded partner for many years. United Way funds 36 partners across its impact areas, Egan said.
About a year ago, Veterans Council leaders approached United Way to learn more about the Mission United model. The two organizations began talking last fall, and their boards, staff and leadership decided that embedding the council's programs in United Way would help ensure they last.
Fortunato said the local nonprofit landscape is getting harder to sustain. There are more than 900 nonprofits in Indian River County, he said, and costs are rising while giving falls.
"Funding, maintaining, operational costs continue to go up, whereas donations continue to go down," Fortunato said. "So when we look at what's a good long-term solution for stability, we learned of Mission United."
He said the combined organization will pair the council's experience with United Way's local network to expand services.
"None of the services that Veterans Council has been supplying for the past 40 years are going away," Fortunato said. "They're just moving into Mission United."
The Veterans Council traces its roots to 1975, Fortunato said, and incorporated in 1987. It began as a group of veterans organizing events such as Veterans Day and Memorial Day observances. Over time it added programs.
Its best-known program is transportation. Veterans can call to schedule rides to the VA medical center in West Palm Beach and to other VA-eligible appointments. The program is a three-way effort. The council raises money to buy buses, the county provides a grant to help pay drivers, and the VA licenses the vehicles and pays for fuel and repairs.
Many local veterans are of the Vietnam era, Fortunato said, and are in their 70s and 80s. The drive to West Palm Beach can be a chore for them.
"This is a way to have safe, reliable transportation with drivers that care about their veterans," he said.
The council also runs a direct services program that helps veterans facing financial trouble, such as a broken water heater, a roof leak or a damaged floor. It can provide financial help or coordinate with other groups. Fortunato said the council works often with Habitat for Humanity, and some big-box stores provide materials.
The council also advocates on veterans' health care, Fortunato said. He credited its coordination in large part for the VA's new specialty clinic in Vero Beach, which is in its second phase with another planned.
For Egan, who has worked in social services for her entire career, including 20 years at United Way, the work is also personal. She is married to a veteran.
"I married a veteran and it boggles my mind the amount of red tape and struggle he has to go through just to get an appointment or reschedule something or get somebody on the phone," Egan said. "And we have resources. He's a smart guy. And I cannot imagine people who don't have the bandwidth to be able to be their own advocates."
She said the experience showed her how hard the system can be to navigate, and she hopes Mission United will reduce those barriers.
Egan said veterans are about 11% of the county's population, and about a quarter of those who live in Indian River County are struggling to make ends meet.
She said the response so far has been positive, with veterans encouraged that the programs now have a stronger base of support.
"It's not going to go anywhere," Egan said. "It's only going to grow."