Veteran Impact
As of 12/31/2023
86%
Success Rate To Permanent Housing
724
Veterans Serviced
182
Received Mental Health Services
242
Received Mental Health Services
103,425
Donated Meals Served
ABOUT US
Two words we believe should never go together: "homeless and "veteran."
Mission
Liberation Veteran Services (LVS) is a 501c3 offering homeless Veterans the care, resources and stability needed to rebuild their lives.
About
LVS operates the nation’s largest low-demand program for homeless
Veterans, offering personalized counseling, case management, meals,
shelter, mental health counseling, employment training, and more. With
dignity and respect at the core of our mission, we are committed to
addressing the complex challenges facing our Veterans, including addiction, mental health issues, and PTSD.
There is not a “one size fits all” approach when working with homeless
Veterans, and we have created a proven model that restores life, hope &
dignity. Our primary objective is to work with a Veteran to develop a plan that results in affordable permanent housing.
Liberation Veteran Services (LVS) is a 501c3 offering homeless Veterans the care, resources and stability needed to rebuild their lives.
Values
We will treat all individuals with respect and recognizing their inherent worth and value as human beings.
We will treat others with empathy and compassion and go out of our way to help and support them.
We will support the fair and just distribution of resources, opportunities, and benefits to all individuals regardless of their background or circumstances.
We will develop trust with each other and our stakeholders and will become a trusted place for the community.
We will be modest in our self-evaluation recognizing that we can always learn from others.
We will pursue our mission with vigor and unwavering commitment.
Veteran Services
The holistic program offered by LVS encompasses a wide range of services. By catering to the individual needs of each client, we provide them with the best chance of successfully completing the program and transitioning into permanent housing.
• Case management
• Meals, Clothing, Housing
• Free Transportation to VA
• Housing Success Plan
• Mental & Physical Health Services
• Substance Abuse Services
• Property management and hygiene
• New Tenant Orientation
• Financial Literacy
• Fair Housing
• Employment Skills
• Computer lab
Meet Our Staff
Shared Values. Shared Purpose. Shared Passion.
Jay Patrick
President & CEO
Lynne Berkness
Chief Advancement Officer.
Carol Davis
Permanent Housing Manager
Jeffrey Fricker
Case Manager
Vene'sha Gordon
Case Manager
Toni Hutchinson
Program Director
Fletcher Johnson
Director of Donor and Community Engagement
Tameka Robertson
Operations Manager
Meet Our Advisory Committee
At LVS, we are fortunate to have an amazing Advisory Committee that helps us in the area of Strategic Planning, Fundraising, Accounting
and Marketing.
The Committee consist of Kevin O’Leary, Alex Smith, Wallace Stettinius and David Wilson.
Kevin O’Leary joined LVS’s strong advisory board with a focus on development and increasing capacity the advisory board has been instrumental in taking LVS’s fundraising and operations to the next level. Kevin has had a profoundly successful career in the finance industry. Most recently as Vice President and CFO of the Tredegar Corporation. Kevin has spent the majority of his career as a numbers and operational guru and is now partially retired and focused on giving back to his community. His father being a veteran, he found the mission of LVS to be very compelling and one he deeply connected with. LVS is extremely humbled to have Kevin on the team.
Alex Smith served the Collegiate School for 47 years. He helped establish and strengthen Collegiate’s development office, and in that role, raised funds that reshaped the landscape and grew the breadth of the campus, starting with capital campaigns that led to the construction of Luck Hall and Burke Hall on the Lower School campus.Overall, he has raised more than $130 million for Collegiate, and his most recent efforts led to the construction of Collegiate’s new Lower School cafeteria, Centennial Hall, as well as the signature Upper School building, the Sharp Academic Commons, which houses the Estes Student Center and the Saunders Family Library. As of late, Alex has added author to his resume. Passing on his knowledge as a professional fundraiser in the book “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg.” Alex spends his time now giving back and serving as a mentor and adviser to many. We are so fortunate that Liberation Veteran Services get this caliber of advise and consultation.
Wallace Stettinius is an astute, well-respected businessman, teacher, community leader, and mentor. Many consider him a guru and visits with him are essentially a trip to the mountaintop.From 1967 through 1995, he served as chief executive officer of William Byrd Press, then Cadmus Corporation. In recent years, he’s taught at Virginia Commonwealth University and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, focused on his work with non-profits, and headed the board of GrayCo, a family-owned commercial real estate investment company.Wally as affectionately known at LVS has served the grassroots nonprofit for the last 4 years. He met the executive director Jay Patrick during the Emerging Leaders Program facilitated by the Community Foundation. The two have worked closely together ever since and the impact has been remarkable.
Dave Wilson brings and professional background that is unparalleled in regards to building and maintaining a healthy organizational infrastructure that is credible, well-managed, and fiscally responsible. Dave Wilson retired in 2003 as Chairman and President of the Cadmus Corporation. Dave is also a HSC alumni and shares that close brotherhood with our Executive Director Jay Patrick. Wilson’s dedication to Hampden-Sydney athletics is exceptional. He spearheaded the basketball capital improvement projects, created a model for athletic fundraising programs, and has been the President of the Roundball Club for the past seven years. A former member of the Board of Trustees of the College, he served with distinction during his term and was recently elected to the Board beginning this summer. With too many accolades to note, we are just fortunate to have Dave on our team. His passion for helping veterans shines through and is making a significant impact in our efforts to eradicate veteran homelessness in Metro Richmond.
Understanding Homelessness
Did you know that 11% of the homeless adult population are
Veterans?
Play Video
“Understanding Veterans Experiencing Homelessness”
Facts About Veterans Experiencing Homelessness
75
%
of the homeless adult population are Veterans
75
%
of the male homeless population are Veterans
75
%
increase in homeless Veterans since 2009
75
%
of homeless Veterans have a disability
50% of homeless Veterans have serious mental illness
70% of homeless Veterans have substance abuse problems
50% of newly homeless Veterans were diagnosed with some mental health issue prior to discharge from active duty
Source: nchv.org/veteran-homelessness
In addition to the complex set of factors influencing all homelessness – extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income and access to health care – a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. Additionally, military occupations and training are not always transferable to the civilian workforce, placing some veterans at a disadvantage when competing for employment.
LVS offers homeless veterans a secure, safe, clean, and supportive environment free of drugs and alcohol where they can rebuild their lives.
Veterans & Virginia
Virginia is the fastest growing Veteran population.
75
%
of the homeless adult population are Veterans
There are approximately 620,000 Veterans living in Virginia
Virginia ranks 3 rd -highest in Veteran population per capital
Virginia ranks 6 th in overall Veteran population
