A life-changing decision doesn’t always happen between 9 and 5. So staff members are ready, 24/7, at the entrance and the intake/interview desks. It is a measure of their concern that they are there; ready to help a veteran begin a “new directions,†day or night.
As a society, we are learning the necessary damage we do, asking men and women to defend our country. Make no mistake; it is well worth defending. But these heroes who gave up safety for us deserve our greatest respect and our helping hand. Too often, they receive neither.
I am a career civilian. But I feel a deep debt to veterans. It is always in mind when I enter the Veterans Administration grounds, a place of shelter and rest for our defenders. From Civil War veterans to more recent fighters, it has been a haven. The medical facilities heal the body but it takes a unique kind of care to heal the spirit. It takes strength, the power of “Been there; done that, survived and moved on.†That strength is why over 55 percent of New Directions’ staff are graduates of the program they now empower. They are “reality,†proof that the effort can work.
New Directions began on a whisper-thin shoestring. John Keaveney, veteran of two Vietnam tours and victim of its life-changing experience, stood trial for crimes that meant prison. The judge chose instead to send him to a V.A. program called “New Directions.†It changed his life.
He was very disturbed to learn, only a few months later, that the program had ended. He was sure it must not stop. It was effective and there were so many more like him out there; they must be helped.
He began to talk to people, reach out. He met Toni Reinis. She was working on homeless issues, a related problem. The two became a voice for veterans not easily ignored. New Directions was reborn in 1992, independently funded. It has become one of the country’s best programs for helping veterans recover their lives. It has a 16-year success record and is a national leader in adaptive re-use of vacant federal buildings for homeless veterans.
So, what do they do?
This is a very structured, disciplined program. About 700 to 800 veterans a year come in. Two hundred fifty or so join the program, mostly “self-selected†; not all finish. It is a demanding commitment that many are not ready to make. A veteran must agree to be drug and alcohol free and to stay within the confines of the building (except for approved outside activities) until moving to the second stage (job training and placement). There are random drug searches and blood tests. Many of the veterans who leave return again, realizing that their life hangs in the balance. The sign by the front door, The Last House On The Block, is a grave warning.
The program doesn’t stop at helping veterans overcome substance abuse. Putting a life back together requires varied elements. The Los Angeles Unified School District has a teacher present for remedial education. Santa Monica City College has classroom space. There’s a computer skills center. And everywhere, there are spaces for talking and connecting. Perhaps the most important thing that New Directions does is help its members realize that they are not alone in their struggle. The program requires participants to talk to each other, to share stories. Tables in the dining room are round to encourage conversation. Corridors contain many wall benches for sitting and sharing.
New Directions has grown from one small rented house in 1992 to two facilities at the Brentwood campus (156 beds and 50 beds) and three homes. Two are for women only. Women veterans often face special challenges, including sexual abuse. The third is the “Operation: Welcome Home†site, designated for returning Iraqi-Afghanistan vets who need help.
The $7 million per year budget is partially covered from Federal, State and local funds, about $33 per person per day. Expenses are about $78 per person, so private support is vital.
On Monday, November 3, the 13th Annual Veterans Day Golf Classic will be held at MountainGate Country Club. It is the ONLY fund-raiser New Directions stages. There will be golf, a BBQ lunch, silent auctions and contests. The Awards Dinner in the evening will recognize three outstanding contributors to New Directions: The Legacy Award to the Bandini family descendants, for their support and continuing efforts to preserve the Veterans land; the Pathway Award to Senator Barbara Boxer for her long record of support for veterans and her help with projects; and the Torchlight Award, posthumously, to Chris Russell, a board member and strong supporter of New Directions from its earliest days.
It is a day of fun, for a vital and very worthy cause. For more information or to register, call LaShanda Maze at (310) 914-4045, extension 161. If you don’t play golf, please lend support anyway. We all owe a debt to our protectors.
