On Sunday, Sept. 15, Jewish War Veterans (JWV) Post 619 will welcome Rachel Masch-Perez, Community Engagement coordinator at Catholic Charities MANA (Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force) House, as its speaker. The meeting takes place in Bradford Room A at Oakwood Country Club, 24218 S. Oakwood Blvd., Sun Lakes. A Meet & Greet with free lox and bagels, coffee, and doughnuts starts at 9:30 a.m. The speaker follows at 10 a.m. All are welcome.
JWV will sponsor a fall BBQ at MANA House on Sunday, Oct. 13, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., giving residents an opportunity to enjoy sharing stories with volunteers. Games and music will add to the festivities. To participate in this event and for details, please contact Joel Goldman at 602-826-0740 or [email protected]. Carpooling is available.
“No veteran should experience homelessness” is the mainstay of the Catholic Charities MANA House, which provides transitional housing and support for veterans experiencing homelessness and helps them find permanent housing. MANA House holds up to 76 male veterans at a time, graduating from 5 to 10 residents per month.
At MANA House, a peer-run organization, veterans find a safe place to start over. They receive personalized case management, which may include career counseling, job placement, assistance with Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits, educational programs, volunteer job opportunities, connections to healthcare, and more. This support gives each veteran the opportunity to reclaim a life of self-sufficiency.
Most veterans move into a studio or one-bedroom apartment upon leaving MANA House. They are ecstatic to have a stable income and a place to call their own. Moving into an empty apartment is expensive, however. Fortunately, MANA House provides Welcome Home kits containing cleaning supplies and other items costing from $50 to $100 each. “We want the veterans to save as much of their money as possible to spend on things that are more important to them,” says Mrs. Masch-Perez who creates the kits.
A veteran recently expressed to Mrs. Masch-Perez how attending a Diamondbacks game with tickets generously donated helped him overcome his social anxiety, boosted his morale, and allowed him to come out of his shell and make new friends.
JWV Post 619, which meets the third Sunday of every month from September to June, boasts members who represent a wide range of religious affiliations and participates in philanthropic activities to help veterans of all faiths. To learn more about JWV activities and membership, contact Arthur Uram at 702-884-4175 or [email protected].