Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys is honored to have received a $25,000 grant from the Disabled Veterans National Foundation.

The grant will fund trauma-informed workshops to help low-income veterans and their families address and cope with their invisible wounds of war such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, Military Sexual Trauma, Secondary Trauma and more.

“This generous grant provided by the Disabled Veterans National Foundation will make a huge difference in the wellness of disabled veterans and their families,” said Donna Deutchman, president & CEO of Habitat for Humanity SF/SCV and Homes 4 Families. “We are proud that an organization that recognizes the long-term effects that military service has on veterans sees value in trauma-informed and wraparound programming.”

Joseph VanFonda (USMC Sgt.Maj. Ret.), CEO of the Disabled Veterans National Foundation, said, “One of DVNF’s priorities is to help veterans overcome the invisible wounds of war. It is our honor to work with Habitat for Humanity, and we are thrilled that they are offering such an important program for our veterans.”

The low-income veterans and families benefitting from this grant are part of the Homes 4 Families™ Veteran Enriched Neighborhood® program, which provides low-income veterans and their families with a homeownership opportunity along with self-sufficiency and resiliency training proven to move families up into the middle class.

These ongoing social services and programs include financial education, leadership training, and veteran-specific trauma informed workshops to help veterans and their families overcome some military-specific challenges.

Funding for veteran-specific services is extremely valuable because these services help to leverage homeownership and the full equity that our veterans earn, into a way out of the endless cycle of poverty, up the economic ladder.

The Disabled Veterans National Foundation exists to provide critically needed support to disabled and at-risk veterans who leave the military wounded—physically or psychologically—after defending our safety and our freedom.

DVNF achieves this mission by:

Offering direct financial support to veteran organizations that address the unique needs of veterans and whose missions align with that of DVNF.

Providing supplemental assistance to homeless and low-income veterans through the Health & Comfort program and various empowerment resources.

Providing an online resource database that allows veterans to navigate the complex process of seeking benefits that they are entitled to as a result of their military service, as well as additional resources they need.

Serving as a thought leader on critical policy issues within the veteran community and educating the public accordingly.

Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys’ mission is to build affordable homes for low-income civilian and veteran families, and provide services that empower them to build brighter futures as homeowners. The locally run, independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serves North Los Angeles city and county, building houses and futures for low-income families.

This Habitat affiliate specializes in building Enriched Neighborhood communities which hold the promise to move low-income families up into the middle class and have built 359 homes to date. Learn more at www.HumanityCA.org.

Homes 4 Families is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving low-income families through the development and replication of the Enriched Neighborhood model. This model offers a powerful outcome-based program of wraparound services and education that empowers underserved families to build equity, self-sufficiency skills and advocacy capacity to move themselves up in socio-economic status. For more information, go to www.Homes4Families.org.