Robert Sauerwein , an US army veteran, found himself homeless when his landlord decided to sell the private home where he lived and evicted him and the rest of the tenants without notice. At the time, Robert, who is single in his fifties,    was working at a drugstore and trying to make ends meet. Unfortunately, Robert ended up in a shelter.

Goodwill NYNJ collaborates with multiple NJ organizations serving US veterans in New Jersey. NJ  SOS Veterans Stakeholders referred Robert to Goodwill Connects Vets, our Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) in September 2022.

Thanks to the intervention of our HVRP team, Robert was admitted to the Alfred J. Thomas Veteran’s Home in Garfield, NJ for two years while he finds permanent housing. Goodwill helped Robert apply to receive his HUD-VASH (US Housing Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) certificate that will provide him a Section 8 rental voucher for permanent housing, case management, and supportive services from the VA starting this April. Next, Robert secured a full-time garden associate position at Stew Leonard’s earning $20/hr. Goodwill provided Robert two coveralls, which he needed at work.

Hear from Robert directly how our HVRP is improving the lives of veterans in the 10 Northern counties of NJ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj5pzfzQf18

Goodwill Connects Vets is the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) that Goodwill Industries of Greater NY and Northern NJ, Inc. (Goodwill NYNJ) operates thanks to a three-year grant from the US Department of Labor since July 2021. Goodwill NYNJ is a nonprofit organization that provides job training and placement, connection to housing, and wraparound supports to homeless veterans or those at risk for homelessness in the ten Northern counties of New Jersey.

To request information on how homeless US veterans can join Goodwill’s HVRP, please call 973-474-2021 x3221 or email services@goodwillny.org