​Back to School: Family achieves stability, children excel in school with assistance from Supportive Services for Veteran Families

Sisters Yazmeen, Lessie and Telliah Thompson (pictured, from left to right) are headed back to school this fall with everything they need. With support from people like you, the Thompson sisters are excited about their first day back to school and they are now living in stable housing with the rest of their family after facing homelessness last year.

The sisters' father, Robert Thompson, served in the Marine Corps for 12 years, while his high school sweetheart and wife Kamilah, stayed at home and cared for their children. Robert spent a majority of his career dedicated to relief and rescue in combat zones, including multiple tours in Afghanistan. When he was honorably discharged, like so many veterans, he had a difficult time transitioning back home. He struggled to keep a job while he learned to manage his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and worked through a knee injury from a bullet wound.

Robert's injuries—both psychological and physical—made it difficult for him to be the breadwinner he wanted and needed to be—an unfortunate and common consequence of war. This was the family's tipping point.

So Robert, Kamilah and their four children, who were at the time ages 16, 13, 5 and 1 years old, went back and forth from living in a friend's basement to living in their family's vehicle. Then, one day they were directed to Volunteers of America's Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program.

Volunteers of America was able to immediately place Robert and his family into their own affordable housing, provide furniture and house hold goods and helped the family stabilize their finances. This short term intervention was just enough to reposition them for success and they are now living independently. Volunteers of America was there for the Thompsons when their family was facing homelessness. Now they are living in safe, affordable housing and the children are excelling in school.

Learn how you can help support the families we serve through our Back to School campaign here.