Celebrating National Volunteer Month with the best!
April was National Volunteer Month, and at VOA, we are proud to have some of the best volunteers out there! One of these special folks is Scott Wong, who serves on the Board of Directors for VOA. Scott has been almost single-handedly keeping the VOA Resource Center open for our clients throughout the pandemic. He has volunteered there since 2017, sorting the mail for about 1500 neighbors who don’t have a permanent address. 

We recently honored Scott with the Governor’s Points of Light Award for his volunteer service. These awards celebrate the extraordinary volunteer efforts of Nevadans across the state, highlighting regional impacts along with the private and public partnership across the nonprofit and corporate sectors. This award was well-deserved, and we loved seeing the look in Scott’s eyes when he received it! 

We are thankful for our many volunteers like Scott who keep our essential programs running for those who need them. They are the heart of VOA!

VOA Hosts “Understanding Homelessness and the Path Out”
Last week, we hosted our first summit on “Understanding Homelessness and the Path Out.” It was an engaging, informative conversation with 4 individuals who know first hand what it is like to be homeless. Guests were invited to submit questions ahead of time, and learn from the experts on what individuals need in order to rise out of homelessness.

The answers to the discussion questions were sincere, inspiring and at times surprising. To listen to the honest and frank conversation, click the image above for the recording. If you are looking to better understand the complexity of homelessness, join us on June 16th at 5:30 p.m. for VOA’s Annual Shelter From the Storm event. Register for the in-person or virtual attendance below.
Creating Stability through Mental Health
Did you know that many of our neighbors struggling with homelessness face daily situations of abuse, neglect, and moral injury? Our VOA ReStart program focuses on helping clients with mental health issues work through their traumatic experiences and move toward independence through instilling self-worth and confidence. 

One of these clients is Renee. When she joined the program in March of 2020, she was homeless and desperate to turn her life around. The trauma Renee experienced left scars that wouldn’t heal without help. Thankfully, our resident therapist helped Renee to learn how to trust, open up and begin to heal. Today she has successfully transitioned into housing and is working on regaining custody of her son. She was recently awarded overnight visits, a huge accomplishment in only one year’s time. Renee has continued to stay fully engaged in her therapy and is working hard to build a stable, happy life for her and her son. 

At VOA, we believe in healing the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. The ReStart program is an essential part of that work, providing mental health resources to those who need it most.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
We are hiring!
If you or anyone you know might be interested in Housekeeping or Support Staff roles at the new Nevada Cares campus, you can apply online today! Click here to view the open positions.
Did you know we also serve the Northern California region? To read their newsletter, click HERE.