AMERICANS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING

AFIL was granted 501(c)3 status in August of 2015. AFIL has had one Veteran’s transitional home in operation since April 2017, housing three male Veterans experiencing homelessness. The house next door was purchased by AFIL in 2019 and has been renovated to open a 2nd Veteran’s home. In 2023, 2 more single-family homes were owned by AFIL and were renovated and added to the Veteran Housing Program.

AFIL provides housing to Veterans experiencing homelessness and connects them with affordable permanent housing solutions. Referrals are provided by the Black Hawk County VA, Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP), and the Waterloo VA Clinic. AFIL’s Veteran Housing is a program to assist Veterans experiencing homelessness to work towards financial stability, self-sufficiency, and the opportunity to obtain and maintain permanent housing.

What needs will be addressed:
• Providing a safe and stable place to stay for homeless Veterans and their families.
• Veterans in transitional housing meet with a case manager weekly to determine their needs and goals and aid in accomplishing them.
• Veterans will develop skills needed to manage money and resources, work towards maintaining a stable income, develop relationships with allies that support healthy choices, and work to find and maintain permanent housing.
• AFIL has served 53 Veterans and their families since the program's inception in 2017.

Goals: To provide housing and resources to Veterans experiencing homelessness.

Impacts: Improved overall well-being and quality of life for Veterans and their families by providing transitional housing and resources to work towards maintaining a stable income, developing relationships with allies that support healthy choices, and working to find and maintain permanent housing. The transitional home is fully furnished, along with all household items, clothing, and food, as needed. Financial literacy is provided as well as job search assistance if necessary. Goals are tracked monthly. An exit plan for permanent housing is established once specific goals are met. A Veteran's length of stay depends on their specific circumstances and goals. The average stay in the home is 10.5 months.

Furniture for Veterans program: This program assists Veterans and their families who are homeless or just out of homelessness or transitional housing. Once a Veteran and their family are in permanent housing they need furnishings, household, and self-care items, food, and clothing for a fresh start in their new residence. After they are referred to AFIL services, the items needed are loaded into the AFIL moving truck then an AFIL employee and volunteers deliver and set up the items, if necessary, for the Veteran. By assisting with the essentials for their home, we are thereby relieving suffering, strengthening family units, and improving quality of life. Our community is not just helping Veterans in need; they are recycling and joining us in preventing solid items we collect from ending up in landfills.

What needs will be addressed:
• When experiencing homelessness or moving into a new home, those in need may not have all the items needed to make a home.
• Veterans who may already be in a home may not have the means to purchase necessary items.
• In 2024, Furniture or Veterans served 314 Veterans and their families

Goals: To help each Veteran and their family have a comfortable and stable living environment they can share with family or friends, facilitating their successful transition to independent living.

Impacts: Improved overall well-being and quality of life for Veterans and their families. Furniture for Veterans has prospered due to the generosity of our community. A Veteran in crisis who now has items of their own can focus on moving toward stability and independence by alleviating the stress of finding and affording these items. Many Veterans who are assisted in our program come back to volunteer their time to help other Veterans. Volunteering increases their awareness of the importance of volunteerism, provides comradery with other Veterans, and increases their physical activity.

Home Modification Program: Home modifications are provided to all ages of Veterans with disabilities or elderly Veterans requiring more independence within their homes. Once a Veteran is referred for services, Tim Combs, Executive Director of AFIL and a Master Certified Environmental Access Consultant (CEAC), will make a home visit to assess the Veteran's needs and initiate the necessary repairs.

What needs will be addressed:
• Giving Veterans with disabilities and their families a home that suits their needs and enhances their lives.
• Last year, the Home Modification Program served 18 Veterans and their families.
• Increases the independence of Veterans with disabilities.

Goals: The goals of home modification are to enhance the quality of life for the Veteran in their home environment, allow them to participate in valued activities, and provide barrier-free access.
Impacts: Improved overall well-being and quality of life for Veterans and their families. The Home Modifications program provides Veterans with disabilities specific home modifications to improve accessibility and mobility. Enhancing independence within their living spaces contributes to the overall welfare of Veterans and their families.

Veteran Community Room: The Veteran Community Room is a place for Veterans to be together with other Veterans. Veterans often feel more comfortable seeking help from fellow Veterans who have shared similar experiences. The room will facilitate and host peer support groups and social activities, creating a sense of community among Veterans in need. Peer support can be instrumental in helping Veterans navigate their challenges and provide a network of understanding individuals.

What needs will be addressed:
• Demand for community meals for Veterans experiencing homelessness, financial hardship, or a lack of regular access to nutritious meals
• Veterans may lack cooking skills and nutritional knowledge making it difficult for them to prepare healthy meals at home
• Local Veteran organizations require accessible and welcoming meeting spaces to conduct support group meetings, workshops, and training sessions
• Veterans may experience social isolation and mental health challenges that benefit from peer support and Veteran camaraderie

Goals: To enhance Veteran social engagement and peer support, cooking skills, increased access to nutritious meals, utilization of the meeting space by other Veteran groups, and other training opportunities.
Impacts: Improved overall well-being and quality of life for Veterans and their families. This room is for training sessions and a place of comradery for Veterans, which can improve mental health and overall well-being. Veterans can receive job training, cooking classes, and Veteran community meals. Veterans will be able to find job listings, practice new skills, learn about education offerings, and/or prepare for employment. Veteran groups could use the space as a free and accessible place to gather and meet. Veterans have a wide range of disabilities, and the Veterans Resource Center will be set up to meet those accessibility needs.

Future Program the Veteran Workshop:
Our workshop program creates an integrated Veteran community that directly enhances our mission of supporting Veterans in need. By welcoming Veterans from all backgrounds and circumstances, we:
1. Create natural mentorship opportunities where successfully established Veterans can guide and support those facing challenges
2. Reduce the stigma around seeking assistance by making our space about shared Veteran identity rather than economic status
3. Build a stronger support network for our Veterans in need through connections with their more resourced peers
4. Provide our low-income and disabled Veterans with access to the same professional networks and opportunities as their fellow veterans
5. Foster dignity and equality by focusing on shared military service rather than current circumstances
The presence of Veterans from diverse situations maximizes the impact of our resources and better serves our core mission of supporting Veterans in need. Rather than segregating Veterans based on economic status, our integrated approach creates organic opportunities for peer support, mentorship, and professional networking that directly benefit our most vulnerable Veterans

Goals:
1. Combat Veteran isolation by creating an engaging, supportive community space
2. Develop marketable skills that can lead to employment or entrepreneurship
3. Foster peer support and mentorship opportunities among Veterans
4. Improve Veterans' mental health and quality of life through purposeful activity
5. Create sustainable income opportunities through craft sales or job placement