Returning to civilian life proved to be a difficult adjustment for Rodney. When he was honorably discharged after 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, the sudden independence simply overwhelmed him. To make matters worse, complications with his Veterans Administration benefits left him temporarily with no income. As a result, he literally fell through the cracks of society and his life spiraled out of control. For months he lived on the streets, homeless and unemployed. He was barely recognizable as the proud “spit and polish” Marine he’d once been.

Finally, a VA outreach worker brought Rodney to the Volunteers of America Homeless Veterans Program. It was here — through the comprehensive care of Volunteers of America — that Rodney was provided safe housing, three nourishing meals a day, and a dedicated and knowledgeable caseworker who assessed his immediate needs and helped him take his first steps from homelessness toward self-sufficiency.

Today, Rodney’s life has a new purpose and direction. He manages an independent living facility where he helps men and women in desperate need who are working their way toward self-sufficiency…just as he did. In providing this care for others, Rodney has regained the pride he thought was lost