VOA Illinois Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) is a comprehensive program for Veterans who are struggling in crisis or at risk of serious instability in their lives. The program provides Veterans with the support, resources and hope they need to successfully win “the war at home” and achieve their full potential in all areas of their life, by working on a personalized service plan with our Veteran Services team.
The SSVF Program reaches out to Veterans wherever they are in their journey towards healing and stability and offers a full continuum of supportive services and interventions that are individually tailored to meet the unique needs of each Veteran.
At its core, it is strength-based and works to build on the inherent strengths and assets that exist within each Veteran we serve. The program also uses a very relationship-driven approach to helping Veterans rebuild and transform their lives – relationships with other Veterans and with caring, committed staff.
The program serves more than 500 Veteran households each year including both male and female Veterans, single Veterans and those with children and those from World War II through the current conflicts in the Middle East. We receive referrals from local VA Medical Centers, other service providers, vigorous street outreach and through word of mouth from Veterans currently receiving services.
Services are funded through a combination of sources including the US Department of Veterans Affairs – Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, the City of Chicago, special events, corporations, foundations and individual giving.
Services include a broad range of resources and interventions that:
- Move Veterans from homelessness to homefullness (high quality, stable housing that gives Veterans a safe place to belong)
- Prevent Veterans who are at-risk of losing their housing from becoming homeless
- Assist Veterans in finding and sustaining meaningful employment that can provide stability and economic independence for the Veteran and their family
- Address barriers such as untreated mental health challenges and substance abuse issues
- Build life skills that are essential to a stable and productive life
- Assist in strengthening and rebuilding families
- Provide coaching and support through life-changing transitions
- Provide counseling and clinical support
- Help Veterans identify and address the effects of Moral Injury
- Connect Veterans to VA benefits and other income supports
- Build self-sufficiency and independence
More information can be found in our Veterans Brochure
Are you a military member or Veteran looking to head back to school and pursue a college education? Visit this 2022 guide for more information.
MOS Redefined
VOA Illinois hosts an employment workshop called MOS Redefined. This 3 day workshop helps the veterans we serve translate their military occupational specialty into a career in the civilian world. The pandemic has limited our ability to host in person workshops so we have created a video series to share some of the training materials reviewed during our typical employment workshops. Please follow the links below to access the training videos.
Did you know?
- Illinois is home to almost 600,000 Veterans (Source: United States Census)
- More than 500 Veterans are homeless on any given night in Chicago and many more are homeless at some point during the year (Source: City of Chicago- 2016 Homeless Point-in-Time Count & Survey Report)
- 39,471 Veterans are homeless on any given night (Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)
- 20 Veterans complete suicide each day (Source: US Department of Veterans Affairs)
SSVF Leadership Team
Melanie Christian
Director of program administration
Angelina Cofield
Manager of Veteran’s Supportive Service (South)
Tiffani Kenna
Manager of Veteran SupportIVE Services (North)
Shanta Wright
Manager of Veteran SupportIVE Services (Joliet)