Deb Wells smiles during a recent Lunch and Learn session on Zoom.
By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger
Deb Wells regularly encounters veterans living in vehicles, abandoned buildings or under bridges. “Veterans and homelessness should never be in the same sentence, regardless of the challenges they face,” said Wells, a member of St. Alphonsus Parish in Mount Pleasant. She has spent more than a decade helping veterans and their families as the Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) outreach specialist for Hawkeye Area Community Action Program in Hiawatha, Iowa.
SSVF, funded by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, assists veterans who are homeless or nearly homeless in 12 eastern Iowa counties. The diocesan Social Action Office invited Wells to share her experiences during a virtual Lunch and Learn session earlier this month. “It’s a great joy” to know of local Catholics sharing their expertise and knowledge to help persons in need, said Deacon Kent Ferris, diocesan director of Social Action and of Catholic Charities. He believes it is important for the larger community to be aware of the different efforts taking place throughout the diocese.
Barriers to stable housing include Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury and substance abuse, Wells said. Finding a safe place to live is the first step. Then, advocates can address other issues. “We are going to identify their needs and remove barriers as we proceed through this process.” SSVF can connect veterans with affordable housing and offer rent assistance, among other services. Some needs, such as clothing, bedding and cooking supplies, are not covered. “I have relationships established with community partners that offer those services,” Wells said.
Veterans experiencing housing insecurity may not be aware of the services available to them, Wells said. Some “don’t think their service to America counts.” SSVF can assist individuals with at least one day of active service and with any discharge status except dishonorable. If someone isn’t eligible for SSVF benefits, Wells looks to other agencies and funding sources to meet the veteran’s needs. “We don’t want anyone to fall through the cracks. We want to meet their needs wherever they are.” SSVF receives funding to serve 98 veterans but is able to serve twice as many thanks to donors and community partners, she said.
Wells’ Catholic faith inspires her interactions with veterans in need.
“I just put myself out there and try to be Jesus’ hands, feet, eyes, ears and mouth,” she said. “I meet people where they are and I don’t judge them.” This trust bears fruit, she believes. She recalls a veteran calling her one Christmas Eve after a bullet grazed his head. She advised the panicked veteran to go to the emergency room right away. He survived the ordeal and keeps in touch. The veterans Wells works with “know they can tell me the truth. That’s why, when they’re in a crisis, I know they’re going to call me.”
Many of Wells’ clients refer to her as “Grandma Deb” — a nickname she wholeheartedly embraces. “I feel such a strong connection to helping people meet their needs and remove the barriers in their lives,” she said in a later interview with The Catholic Messenger. “I get to be a small part of helping them strive to thrive.”
View the Lunch and Learn on the Diocese of Davenport’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d11jfY8qxNE. For more information about SSVF go to https://www.hacap.org/our-initiatives/veteran-support
