Easterseals Oregon Helps Veterans Achieve Success
Supporting our veterans in need is a core function of ESO. In the past program year, through our Homeless Veterans Reintegration Programs (HVRP) in Portland, Salem, and Medford we have served 354 veterans. This enables us to support our veterans so that they can:
- Have a place to call home (47 veterans housed)
- Securing meaningful employment (218 veterans employed)
- Upgrade or learn new skills (279 veterans trained)
ESO is also partnering with a local second grade class to gather socks and gloves for homeless veterans. The students are excited to help veterans in their own community. The same class is also learning about people with disabilities and plans to volunteer with Bloomfest in the spring.
Read on for the stories of three standout participants in our programs:
Todd Timberlake
Todd Timberlake is a 53-year-old U.S. Army Veteran enrolled in our Medford HVRP. His military career included time as an Infantry Tanker Specialist, Paratrooper ("I jumped out of airplanes, which was fun," he says of that role), and Heavy Equipment Operator.
After being referred by the local VA facility, we helped him address key barriers to employment like renewing documents (vehicle registration and Driver's License) as well as receiving his Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) 2 license (his CNA 1 had expired). Mr. Timberlake now works as a CNA at a local hospital.
Mr. Timberlake shares that ESO HVRP "personnel are very caring, helpful, and passionate about the program. I was kept on task throughout my trainings and was provided lots of encouragement, support. I highly recommend any veteran in need to enroll with this helpful team's program."
Henry Collins
Henry Lee Collins, is a decorated U.S. Army veteran (he was awarded an Army Accommodation medal, which is the second highest honor during peacetime). Mr. Collins came to ESO HVRP a very qualified aging worker whom needed to be marketed to the right opportunities.
Mr. Collins has more than a decade of site and property manager and employment industry experience. However, Multiple Myeloma Cancer and recurring need for treatment pulled him away from the full-time workforce. He came to our program looking for help identifying opportunities in similar roles that fit his pace of work level at this time in his career. We realized that he could get training and back into an office environment faster if he also enrolled in our Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). This program has the ability to place clients in work environments with actual employers, while being paid by the program in lieu of receiving this training. After his time in HVRP and SCSEP, Mr. Collins received a job offer from First Transit at the Portland Stand Down.
Kevin Graham
Kevin Graham, U.S. Army Veteran, had been living in his car. Though he had a reliable family member to drive him to appointments, help with paperwork, and encourage him to complete his drug and alcohol diversion program, he had lost custody of two young daughters.
Once he enrolled in our HVRP, our program staff helped Mr. Graham obtain necessary employment documents (a birth certificate and Driver's License) as well as interview clothes. One of our staff, Andrew, set up several meetings to meet with employers on Mr. Graham's behalf. With new clothes and confidence built from practice interviews with Andrew, Kevin interviewed with a local company and was offered a position on the spot. We were provided Mr. Graham with a Sears gift card so that he could buy the tools he needed for work. He has since moved into an apartment. Through a partnership with local United Way, we provided him with home goods and furnishings for his new home, including matching comforters for his two young daughters.
