Re-empower a Homeless Veteran
Re-Empowering Veterans
Our mission goes far beyond providing warm clothing or simply referring individuals to the VA. At The Sub Zero Mission, we are committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness by delivering long-term solutions, rather than temporary relief. While we’ve successfully helped house 31 individuals, we’ve also seen the impact of mental health challenges, addiction, and isolation—issues that often lead to veterans returning to the streets. It’s clear that lasting change requires addressing these deeper challenges and helping individuals break free from the cycle of homelessness.
This year marked a significant step forward with the Homeless Veteran Re-Empowerment Program (HVRP), officially inaugurated on Veterans Day. This wasn’t by chance—Veterans Day symbolizes honor and gratitude, making it the perfect occasion to launch a program designed to serve and uplift those who’ve served us.
A Dream Realized
The HVRP has been a dream in the making—16 years of dedicated work, intensified focus, and planning over the last 18 months. Hundreds of hours were spent meeting with potential partners, consulting subject matter experts, drafting documentation, conducting legal reviews, delivering training, and refining processes.
Now, The Sub Zero Mission has taken the next step in our journey: a program that doesn’t just keep veterans off the streets but empowers them to truly rebuild their lives—if they are willing to take that first step alongside us.
This milestone represents my favorite chapter in this Mission’s Journey—a season of transformation, and a powerful step toward helping those who have sacrificed so much.
What We Know
The VA offers excellent programs for veterans, supported by dedicated employees with unparalleled expertise. However, its large bureaucracy often alienates and overwhelms some veterans seeking help. The system can also be slow, and what it lacks is a consistent, direct outreach presence that brings resources to veterans where they are.
Many veterans struggle with self-care, navigating repetitive paperwork, or attending appointments that may interfere with their work. The veterans we encounter on the streets have often given up on the VA, bristling at its mere mention. For these individuals, stepping onto the path of VA assistance requires encouragement and dedicated support.
In the past, we tried to bring veterans off the streets, and while many successes were initially achieved, they often returned to their prior circumstances. Hard lessons were learned—but they laid the foundation for this program.
The Plan

As we entered the season, we carefully defined our objectives and crafted an execution plan based on HUD data. Knowing there was an increasing homeless population but a decreasing number of homeless veterans, we anticipated that finding veterans for the program would be more challenging.
Our approach involved phased outreach during The Sub Zero Mission’s season:
- Initial Phase: During the first part of the season, we focused on finding veterans in the streets, woods, bridges, and alleys.
- Second Phase: If this approach didn’t result, we searched intake shelters like 2100 Lakeside or Valor Home after mid-season (around February). These shelters evaluate individuals and attempt to connect veterans with resources. Through partnerships, we also welcomed referrals for evaluation.
Execution Objectives
First Objective: Identify veterans among the homeless population and confirm their veteran status using the SQUARES system. If qualified, offer the program and bring them back after the outreach mission to enroll in the Homeless Veteran Re-Empowerment Program.
Second Objective: If a veteran cannot be confirmed, refuses the program, or does not qualify, enroll them in the Constant Contact Process, managed by the Veteran Operations Team.
Third Objective: Through Constant Contact, work toward betterment:
- If dependent on the veteran, assist them in completing the task.
- If reliant on external groups or individuals, advocate and act tactfully on behalf of the veteran to secure housing.
- Persist with patience and accuracy to achieve positive outcomes.
Betterment represents making meaningful, positive changes that lead to a higher quality of life and more favorable outcomes for the veterans we serve.
Homeless Veteran Re-Empowerment Program (HVRP)
Our journey began with a simple yet profound truth: a home is the key to ending homelessness. However, securing a stable, long-term home requires more than just shelter—it demands consistent work or income, reliable transportation, and addressing deeper challenges like substance abuse and mental health issues.
The HVRP is dedicated to more than housing homeless veterans; it’s a bit of being their advocates and guides on a journey to recovery. By supporting them as they face addiction, mental health challenges, and societal reintegration, we aim to help them achieve lasting stability, independence, and hope for a brighter future.

Goal: Find and Enter Participants into the Program
Unfortunately, we did not meet our goal of enrolling a participant this season.
Note: This may change, as we identified a qualified veteran participating in another program.
Through our referral process, we identified a homeless veteran facing significant challenges, including interactions with the court system and struggles with addiction. We prepared this individual to join the program by establishing trust through continued outreach.
According to Lisa Sprowls, HVRP Program Manager: “By enrolling this veteran in our program, we can ensure they receive personalized support to rebuild their lives with dignity and confidence. We’ll provide practical help—like housing and employment—as well as assistance navigating complex challenges. Their success will serve as a testament to the program’s effectiveness and the essential role of compassionate, sustained support.”
Successes and Learnings from HVRP
- Direct Outreach Effectiveness: The program successfully identified, documented, and, in some cases, immediately verified veteran status.
- Team Collaboration: Our internal team began working together with great synergy.
Constant Contact Process
Last season, one of our biggest challenges was maintaining contact with homeless veterans after initial aid during a mission. This population often relocates frequently, making follow-ups difficult. However, our Constant Contact Process minimized these challenges.
We only lost contact with one veteran this season, though even one is too many. We remain committed to improving and setting a goal of zero lost contacts moving forward.
The Constant Contact Process is simple in concept but powerful in execution. It involves:
- Regularly scheduled communication: Beginning with frequent contact and transitioning to a steady cadence tailored to the veteran’s needs.
- Building strong networks: Partnering with programs to address homeless veterans’ unique challenges.
- Compassionate approach: Assigning patient, empathetic team members to maintain consistent support.
MaryEllen Majoros, Lead HVRP Contact Case Analyst, reflected on its challenges: “Despite its effectiveness, the process could be slow and cumbersome. Veterans’ needs vary significantly, and a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t viable. Each veteran’s background and circumstances require a personalized strategy.”
HVRP Program Manager Lisa Sprowls explained the enhancements made: “We implemented a personalized system that streamlined communication with veterans and service organizations. By simplifying paperwork and improving coordination, we ensured veterans were assessed and connected to resources quickly. We also established an integrated contact system to better collaborate with our versatile team.”
Tim Hickey, Director of Veteran Affairs, added: “This winter, we successfully helped four homeless veterans connect with housing programs. Each case was unique, but providing immediate housing solutions addressed their critical needs.”

Constant Contact Successes and Learnings
- Partner Collaboration: Partnering with organizations was pivotal in delivering support. Four veterans were successfully connected to housing programs this winter.
- Specialized Solutions: We extended our efforts to more complex cases, such as a blind veteran seeking alternative medicine. By connecting them with holistic treatment providers, we improved their well-being.
- Identifying Gaps: Increasingly complex cases revealed areas where the program needed refinement and focus.
- Enhanced Follow-ups: We introduced more robust follow-up measures to provide veterans consistent check-ins and support.
- Strengthened Partnerships: Continued efforts to build relationships with local nonprofits and providers have significantly expanded our reach and impact.

Final Statistics for 2024/2025
VA Programs – 48%
(This is the percentage of Veterans who are working with VA or supporting VA programs.)
Active – 36%
(This is the percentage of active veterans as of 3/31/25)
Sheltered – 24%
(This is the percentage of veterans who are sheltered, which could include, but is not limited to, a Sober Living facility, shelters, friends’ homes, etc.)
Housed – 32%
(This is the percentage of veterans who were homeless and are now housed, whether in a permanent location or with family.)
Lost Contact – 0%
(This is the percentage of veterans we found and lost contact with.)
Referred/No Contact – 20%
(This is the percentage of veterans referred to us whom we never had contact with.)
Do not contact – 16%
(This is the percentage of veterans that we do not contact, whether it is their choice, or they are not an eligible veteran for the program.)
Referred – 36%
(This is the percentage of veterans referred to us by partner organizations or shelters.)
SZM Found – 64%
(This is the percentage of veterans the Sub Zero Mission found during their outreach.)
Our team worked with 25 veterans throughout the mission season, making over 222 calls to provide support and assistance, whether directly to the veterans, the VA, or partner organizations.
Veteran Operations Team
Our Veteran Operations Team demonstrated incredible efficiency, teamwork, and collaboration this year. The team, which consisted of two Marine Veterans, two Army Veterans, two Air Force Veterans, a Program Manager, a Client Analyst, a Student Intern, and a Recovery Specialist, was assembled as our outreach season approached.
This was their first year working on this team for many, yet they hit the ground running. They developed responsibility agreements, charted their processes, established a meeting cadence, and tackled their tasks with energy and dedication. Watching this team in action has been a personal highlight for me!
The Vet Ops Team handles potential client cases by:
- Triaging each case.
- Documenting properly.
- Adding cases to our workboard. When breakdowns occur, they analyze contributing factors, create solutions, and execute plans effectively.
I spoke with Lisa about the team’s collaboration, and she said: “I loved the way we collaborated! Everyone contributed something. Especially when troubleshooting issues, nobody was defensive, and we implemented the right processes. This collaborative effort will only strengthen us moving forward!”
Army Al
One of the most challenging aspects of our Mission is leaving someone behind, especially when it comes to veterans. It goes against everything we are taught in service:
- “It is a brotherhood.”
- “You will never be alone.”
- “No man left behind.”
We have worked tirelessly to develop a program that addresses every scenario for years. Yet, nothing could have prepared us for Army Al’s experience.
Through our social media page, a key source of information on homeless populations, we were alerted to the plight of a blind veteran living on our doorstep. Two of us, dressed in street clothes to avoid drawing attention to the encampment, deployed to the location the following day. Even with a detailed description, we initially missed him.
Al is blind and lives on a door stoop. Unfortunately, we had no immediate accommodations for him and were forced to leave after providing him with warming items. This moment was profoundly disheartening. However, it was a stark reminder that sometimes, we must acknowledge when individuals are not ready for help or refuse it altogether.
Our first encounter with Al was cordial. We got to know him and learned he was determined to stay where he was. Over time, through the Constant Contact Process, we uncovered his reasons for staying outside:
- Limited accommodations due to his condition.
- Aversion to certain shelters or housing options.
- Fear of being unreachable by those helping him.
- Trust in a single individual for advice, who was also unable to convince him to leave.
- Belief that his eye condition could be cured holistically, which is potentially unsupported by the VA.
- Possible undiagnosed mental health or addiction issues, compounded by hypothermia and poor decision-making.
- Claims of ongoing litigation with the city or another party prevent his relocation.
Reflections on Army Al
While our team deployed to Al multiple times, he refused all offers to move to shelters or housing options. As frustrating as this has been, it reinforces an important lesson: we may try mightily and still fail. But we will continue to learn and improve.
Army Al remains in our Constant Contact Program, and we are committed to supporting his journey toward “betterment.” Whether that means proving or disproving the efficacy of holistic treatments or guiding him to new paths, our ultimate goal is to lead him to a safe, stable home.
This story is a testament to the complexity and humanity of our Mission. It reminds us that every individual has unique challenges and choices, and our role is to continue helping, no matter how hard the road may be.