PRINCE HOMEIllinois Department of Veterans Affairs Newsletter • Volume 1, Issue 11 • September 2019

For each newsletter, we ask a resident to write about their personal story. This is one veteran’s story and how the Prince Home staff and program assisted them. We thank you for sharing your success story!

If you would like to find out more about Prince contact the home at (815) 468-6581 Extension 213 and ask for Mr. Wali Lewis.

Hello, my name is Susan, but most people call me Sue. I’m a United States Air Force Veteran. I’ve been living at the Prince Home, in Manteno, IL since March 2019.

I lived in Illinois most of my life. I came to reside at the Prince Home after being evicted twice in the last three years. I was also evicted twice when I living in Florida. So, as you can see being evicted is a pattern I must triumph. I want to find out and work on why I make poor choices. I have poor money management skills which is another component that contributed to me being evicted.

I’ve lived a pretty quiet life, often isolating myself from others. My childhood would be considered normal; I climbed trees, raced bikes, loved horses and most animals in general. I can recall the most traumatic event as an adult; was when my brother passed away after his twentieth birthday from brain cancer.

After all these years I have come to realize, I stuffed my grief away and it has impacted most areas of my life. Now I’m working on healing the loss of my brother and other traumatic events that have occurred in my life. I want to learn the necessary skills to manage my life and finances more effectively. I would like to work on my isolation habits by making more positive friends. I would like to become more independent so that my family and friends can be proud of me.

Since residing at the Prince Home, I have a daily routine where I’m working on improving my health by eating healthier and attending all medical appointments. I have been able to save money to purchase needed car repairs which I was unable to accomplish before. I feel safe at the Prince Home; I don’t have the fear of being evicted. I’m learning more about myself by looking at areas that I wasn’t focusing on before. I had been avoiding painful problems I didn’t want to deal with; I coped by pushing them back to the recesses of my mind. Now, I’m getting a real look at how I can truly function and I’m making progress towards a better future.

My Story By: Susan

Opened in 2007, the Prince Home provides housing and supportive services for homeless Illinois Veterans, helping them cope with many issues, to include Post Traumatic Stress, substance abuse, and other challenges. In addition to providing a safe and secure living environment for homeless veterans, the program helps equip the veterans to achieve individual growth and independence. This is done by fostering integrity, respect, and dignity, with therapeutic and supportive services. More than three-quarters of the veterans who complete the Prince Home program go on to live productive and independent lives. In addition, leadership at the Home contributes to the mission of reducing veteran homelessness statewide by working with and advising community service providers, private organizations and other state agencies on state and federal veteran programs. Volunteer work, employment and treatment compliance is correlated to the vision of total independence.

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Eric Peterson, founder of Project Headspace and Timing, held a fund-raiser in Downtown Manteno to raise money to build tiny homes for our veterans at Prince Home to assist them in their transition back into the community. The event was a great success as it raised $20,000 to go towards the building of the homes. The ultimate goal of Mr. Peterson and Project Headspace is to acquire land in the local area so they can buildseveral of these homes so the homes can be given to homeless veterans throughout the community. It is kind gestures like these that keep programs like Prince Home and others afloat. The staff and residents of Prince Home are very grateful for this act of kindness that was shown to the program and eventually to other homeless veterans in the community.

Project Headspace And Timing Holds Fundraiser To Raise Money To Build Homes For Homeless Veterans

Bike Run Held to Raise Awareness to Prince Home The Forgotten Sons held its 3rd annual Bike Run and Motorcycle Competition to raise awareness of the benefits of the Prince Home at Manteno. The veterans that reside at Prince are the judges for the motorcycle competition and fun was had by all. The Forgotten Sons have been a great supporter of Prince Home and takes the resident’s on an annual picnic and fishing trip in addition to this! The residents and staff appreciates the generosity that The Forgotten Sons consistently demonstrates.

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Shonda’z N Daughterz Catering Service in Kankakee, Illinois visited Prince on May 19, 2019 and did a cookout for the vets free of

charge. Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, and the sides were provided for the vets and the vets were very appreciative of the kind gesture shown by

Shonda’z N Daughterz. Shonda’z N Daughterz has catered holiday meals at Prince the past two years and the owner, LaShonda Dowdy,

has said she plans to make this free cookout an annual event.

Shonda’z N Daughters does BBQ at Prince

Charlie Ormiston of EMS Towing in Manteno, Illinois donated a car to a resident at Prince Home. David Castaneda was the recipient of the 2005 Hyundai Sonata and was very appreciative.

Mr. Ormiston has also stated that he wants to do this on a regular basis. Prince Home appreciates this kind gesture that enables our veterans to get one step closer to returning to the

community.

Car Donated to a Prince Home Veteran

Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Prince Home at Manteno

One Veterans Drive Manteno, Illinois 60950

(815) 468-6581

The Prince Home at Manteno is a program for homeless and disabled veterans co-located with the Veterans' Home in Manteno, Illinois. The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Prince Home at Manteno is a residential program for homeless and disabled Veterans.

The facility is wheelchair assessable, and provides residential housing for eligible male and female Veterans.. Our Staff is proficient in addressing a multitude of challenges including but not limited to, homelessness, PTSD, sobriety, self-esteem, and hopelessness.

The Prince Home is located in rural Manteno, Illinois, just 40 miles south of Chicago. It shares grounds with the Illinois Veterans' Home at Manteno.

Printed by authority of the State of Illinois, 0214-19, 03/19, 250

Prince Home’s residents and staff would like to

thank all the countless community organizations

that continue to show their support of Prince

through their food, clothing, and monetary

donations. It is greatly appreciated!

Thank You

Activity Corner

Prince Vets Get Golf Lessons from PGA Pro

The veterans at Prince have been visiting On Target Archery in

Stegar, Illinois monthly during the summer months to get archery lessons. The residents enjoy this activity and look forward to it.

Bi-weekly in the summer the veterans at Prince Home travel to Odyssey Golf Course in Tinley Park to receive golf lessons from the PGA Club Pro. The

residents are treated to lessons on the driving range and the putting green. They are also served lunch. All free of charge!

Residents Get Archery Lessons