NORFOLK, Va. — We live in one of the most highly populated areas for our military. With all the good that comes with that, there are also challenges.
I’m going beyond the headlines to see what financial resources are available for active-duty service members and veterans.
With more than 83,000 active-duty service members and 300,000 veterans in our area, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there's a lot of need in Hampton Roads.
"Because of rising costs and because of rising inflation, the majority of calls we get—90%—are for housing... utility bills [and] late payments," says Denzel Glover.
Glover is the director of Mission United, an organization under the United Way's umbrella. Mission United in Norfolk is one of only 23 locations across the country, despite the 1,200 local chapters of the United Way.
He tells me they connect military members, veterans, and their families to a number of resources.
Glover, who served in the Army for 10 years, says he knows firsthand that finding resources on your own isn’t always easy.
“When we raised our hand, you know, we were vowing to give our lives to the country, and you would think that we [would] be able to get everything that we needed,” Glover says.
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However, when service members can't get what they need, Mission United helps fill the gaps and navigate finances.
"The biggest things [people are needing help with] now [are] utilities and housing and food insecurities. [That’s where we are] getting the most calls," says Glover.
He says for the most part, veterans are in the most critical need because they don't have the same access as active duty members.
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Mission United reports helping more than 5,500 people and 300 families have received financial help with utilities.
“I want to have Mission United as a household name—not just as a utility that can cover resources or bills, per se, but a name. We're in school systems, we're at the city level, we're taking care of all of our veterans and active duty needs in the future,” Glover says.
In addition to the financial resources offered by Mission United, you can also take advantage of the Virginia Veterans Network.
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services just rolled out the online platform to help connect service members with local resources. To access it, click here.
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