Sgt. Angel Velez started Angels for Warriors after facing difficulties accessing services upon returning from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan where he was badly wounded. Angels for Warriors provides guidance to help veterans and their families locate and navigate resources for legal assistance, medical care, psychological services, education, and more. It aims to build relationships with organizations providing veterans services to create a comprehensive database and facilitate rapid response to veterans' needs on Long Island, where over 158,000 veterans live.
1. A Resource & Information Center
for Veterans, Families & Caregivers
2. Why Angels For Warriors Began…
Angel Velez returned to the United
Sgt.
States in 2010 after a long career in the
service and four years serving as a Sergeant
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He, along with several comrades, had been
badly wounded in the line of duty.
3. Why Angels For Warriors Began…
physical challenges of recovery were
The
enormous and the psychological ones just
as difficult.
What should NOT have been difficult was
accessing the many services that are
provided to returning soldiers by our
government and other valuable
organizations.
4. Why Angels For Warriors Began…
Unfortunately, that
wasn't the case.
6. Obstacle Courses of Red Tape
Psychological Counseling
Housing Assistance
Financial Guidance
7. Devising a New Strategy
Angels for Warriors
is a not-for-profit
volunteer organization
providing information
and guidance about the
essential resources
available to America’s
returning warriors and
their families.
8. Developing a Road Map
Clients get a personal
roadmap based on their
individual needs that
will help them locate
and navigate the often
confusing
local, regional and
national resources
available to them.
9. Legal Guidance:
• Help with interpreting
documents that the
veteran/veteran’s family may
not understand
• Provide information regarding
benefits the veteran may avail
him/herself to and legal
referrals when needed
10. Medical Planning Assistance:
• Help completing necessary
paperwork and applications
• Make phone calls and follow-
ups when needed
• Help scheduling appointments
• Obtain transportation to and
from appointments when
needed
• Help with billing questions
and/or medical coverage
information.
11. Psychological Services Assistance:
• Connect the veteran with programs that will
benefit him or her such as equine
therapy, service dog therapy, art therapy etc.
12. Educational Guidance:
• Provide contacts and follow-up
with available educational
programs, vocational programs
& networking for employment
opportunities.
13. Communication and Community Relations
The importance of community outreach and community involvement…
…to build
relationships and
share valuable
experiences with
members of other
organizations and
programs
14. Communication and Community Relations
The importance of community outreach and community involvement…
…to assemble a
comprehensive
database of all
local, regional
and national
organizations
providing veterans’
services
15. Communication and Community Relations
The importance of community outreach and community involvement…
…and to
assist, encourage, an
d facilitate all
involved
organizations to
provide rapid
response to the
needs of our warriors
and their families.
21. The Local Challenge
Fact: As of the 2010 U.S. Census there were 67,872
veterans living in Nassau County and 90,000 more living
in Suffolk county. These figures will continue to rise as
those deployed overseas come home.
The average age of the returning troops is 26, a large
percentage of whom have young families. How we
handle this return and reintegration is crucial to our
nation’s future.
22. Expansion of Services Projection - L.I.
Each center will service veterans and their
families in roughly a 15 mile radius area.
East Northport
Projected expansion 2013 – 2018
Possible area expansion points include
Patchougue, Hempstead, and
Riverhead, both for population profile and
proximity,
