VOALA offers life-changing opportunities to people who are homeless. Shane lost his full-time job during the pandemic. With no income or other support, he lost his housing—and he and his dog ended up living in the desert for the past four years. “I had nowhere to go. I didn’t have any family or anyone else,” he said. Survival became...
Military Appreciation VOALA specialized programs help veterans without shelter get back on their feet Veterans often miss the structure and sense of team the military provides, and adapting to civilian life can be difficult for numerous reasons. Nationally, nearly 40,000 veterans are without shelter on any given night. California has the...
As the housing crisis in Los Angeles continues, Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA) is proud to continue its ongoing partnership with the California Department of Housing and Community Development and City of Los Angeles to provide safe, permanent housing opportunities for individuals in need. Through this collaborative effort, VOALA...
A Place to Call Home Struggling veterans receive extensive services in the new San Pedro transitional housing program Veteran Eli never imagined himself living on the streets. After he was discharged, he experienced numerous personal challenges leading to a family crisis one night. Suddenly, he had no place to live. That one...
Ribbon-cutting ceremony at VOALA’s THouse unveils contributions from MLB for major upgrade changes at facility. Speakers included: Orel Hershiser, Dodgers Legend; Justin Turner, Dodger 3rd basemen and 2020 World Series Champion; Stan Kasten, President and part owner of the Dodgers; April Brown, VP Social Responsibility; Taunya Taylor, VOALA...
Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA) is proud to announce Christina Rheingold, Program Manager II of Veteran Peers Access Network (VPAN) has been selected as one of The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) Women Veterans Advocates of the Year (2021). Each year CalVet recognizes several California Women Veterans and community...
Before the sun rises, Jose tidies his apartment, sips coffee, or occasionally watches the early news to find out what’s going on in the world. The 63-year-old veteran is a morning person, a habit formed during his time in the Army. Or maybe it was the result of his structured schedule in prison. It may be a remnant of his exhausting...
LOS ANGELES - Long before Echo Park Lake’s homeless encampment became a public safety issue, Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell was identifying and creating potential housing solutions for Council District 13. "Homelessness is the issue of the day. We didn’t get this way overnight, and we’re not going to solve...
Volunteers of America Los Angeles will distribute millions to vulnerable renters during COVID-19 pandemic Orange County, CA, February 15, 2021– The County of Orange launched its Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program on February 1, 2021 and will accept applications during the month of February from eligible renter households with unpaid rent...
ALEXANDRIA, Va. November 11, 2020—Wells Fargo Foundation has awarded Volunteers of America National Services(VOANS) with a $3 million grant to develop permanent supportive affordable homes for previously homeless veterans using innovative construction techniques while also supporting much needed construction job training for...
As part of the 2020 All-Star Legacy initiative, the Courtyard at the Volunteers of America Los Angeles Ballington Plaza Apartments was renovated in partnership with The Mission Continues, a nonprofit organization that empowers veterans facing the challenge of adjusting to life at home to find new missions. This project joins several...
Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA) and American Veterans Mini Home Builders (AVMHB), are utilizing modular homes to develop and build mini homes for homeless veterans. AVMHB's mission is to "provide a scalable semi-transportable solution to a reachable portion of the chronic homeless population in Los Angeles County" and to "provide...
Sahar tells her powerful story of going from being a runaway to finding Volunteers of America Los Angeles. "I was running away from the abuse," Sahar says. "In my household, I was one of the two females living there. I was never a human being; I was property. I felt a lot of anger, and it came from the cries that they never cared to...
Finding employment is an all too common struggle among veterans, who make invaluable employees and can apply skills and traits attained in service to a number of civilian arenas with focus, drive and discipline. Growing up in a middle-class family in Compton, Shanita, was always smart, strong-willed and independent. After earning an...
According to GreenNonProfits.org, “as people and corporations around the world become more ‘green’ they in turn expect the non-profits they support to also take proactive steps to protect the environment. The benefits are twofold: the global environment improves as a result of the nonprofit sector taking action; and nonprofits become part of...
“It took me more than 15 years to realize I wasn’t in the jungle fighting the enemy,” says Veteran Michael Ortiz. But by then he was alienated from friends and family and addicted to drugs and alcohol. After Vietnam, Michael was placed in a mental hospital where he was heavily medicated to deal with the myriad issues he was suffering...
The partnership between The Home Depot Foundation and Volunteers of America continues to support veterans in our community and throughout the nation. September 2013 On a hot September day, over 50 Volunteers from The Home Depot came to the Haviland House shelter in San Pedro. By the end of the day they had replaced damaged stairs,...
Battle Buddy Bridge (B3) is an peer-to-peer initiative designed to provide outreach and care management to Veterans struggling with homelessness throughout LA County. Heroes helping Heroes Armed with a continuum of immediate services available through VOALA programs as well as partnering community and government agencies, Battle Buddies are able...
BLUE BUTTERFLY VILLAGE Blue Butterfly Village is VOALA's innovative 73-unit 2BR townhouse community located in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles County. All 73 units are subsidized for homeless families. Veteran families receive a preference for 61 of the units. 12 units are reserved for families eligible under the MHSA program. We house many...
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