We help service members and their families in Lake, McHenry and Southern Kenosha counties with care services, financial crisis help, family support, peer counseling and camaraderie, free and confidentially, regardless of discharge status.
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COMMUNITY CARE AREAS
We foster a community of care for Veterans and Families. A community is only as strong as those who build it, and we need your help in the form of funding and volunteer services in order to sustain our objectives which are:
• Connect Veterans with each other and the resources they need and deserve through a bond of trust.
• Reduce the time it takes for a warrior to ask for help.
• Provide 100% free and confidential services to Military, Veterans, Service Members, and their Families with service-related issues through a strong peer support network.
• Educate and counsel families supporting Veterans or Service Members through trauma-informed care.
• Raise competency in trauma-informed care.
• Reduce Veteran hospitalizations.
• Provide a safe environment for those in need to reduce the stigma associated with their needs.
CARE RESOURCE AREAS
For Veterans and their Families.
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- • Post-traumatic Stress
• Domestic Violence
• Children’s Emotional Issues
• Legal Issues
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Substance Abuse
• Mood Issues, Suicidal Thoughts, Depression, Anxiety, Hopelessness
• Adjustment related to Deployment, Re-Deployment, Discharge or Reintegration
• Grief
• Education, Employment and Vocational Support
• Financial Support
• Housing/Homelessness
- • Post-traumatic Stress
Bigger and Better RuckUp22 Coming Soon!
LCVFSF is once again hosting a ruck march to raise awareness of the estimated 22 Veterans who take their own lives each day…not just one march, but two.
Back after a two-year hiatus, the 22-kilometer LIVE course will be open to those who want to cover that distance in one day, September 17th. The one-day route and a fact sheet follows this article.
Moreover, due to the previous two year’s overwhelming success, there will be an additional option for those who want to conduct their own march at their own pace and at the place of their choosing. They can spread out their march from September 1 to 22, doing as much or as little each day as long as they complete 22 kilometers by September 22.
Participants can walk, run, swim, bike – their choice. This march can be completed anywhere in the world. We just need your online registration (info coming) and your word that you completed your march.
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Major Resource Partners
The Latest News from LCVFS
The Foundation
Foundation:
The Lake County Veterans and Family Services Foundation is a 501c (3) non-profit organization founded in 2012. Originally a Department of Health and Human Services grant, today we are 100% funded by private donations which means we need your help to serve those in our Lake, McHenry and Southern Kenosha County Communities who have served, sacrificed, and continue to struggle emotionally, financially and vocationally.
Mission:
Our mission is to connect Service Members and their families with each other and to the resources and benefits they earned and deserve, free and confidentially regardless of discharge status. Through our professionally trained Veteran Peer Specialists, we provide “help from those who’ve been there” for support services, counseling, program resources, and a sense of hope and purpose.
Financial Disclosure: Click here for latest filed 990.
Guiding Principles
Peer Support
Peer support is an essential component for our success. Those who have been there are the ones who can truly understand and guide someone through recovery from the impact of their military experiences.
A Community of Care
Community support is not bound by legal or traditional military restrictions. When issues emerge that affect our target consumer, we will engage all those affected.
Employment and Volunteerism
We believe that employment and volunteer work are significant contributors to an improved feeling of worthiness and normalcy for our target consumer. Our focus is to develop these principles of connection in our community for veterans and their families.
Family Integrity
Our primary goal prior to, during, and after deployment is to keep families intact, engaged, and flourishing. We acknowledge support persons as a part of the family to be included in the process.
Confidentiality
All interventions will be confidential, and any discussion or dissemination of information associated with the interaction of our programs or partners will be consumer-controlled.
Suicide and Homeless Prevention
Our support of programs that thwart suicide and homelessness is grounded in the value of developing the individual’s hope that things can get and stay better.
Sustainability
Veterans are 1.5 times for likely to die of suicide than Americans who never served in the military.
For years the number 22 represented the average number of veterans committing suicide every day.
That number increased 50% from 2007 to 2017 and has increased four of the past five years.
Accomplished in 2021
By The Numbers
People Engaged
Cases Handled
Dry Hooch Contacts
%
Increase In Contacts
Those We Have Helped
Michael H
Veteran
Michael H. was suddenly financially challenged. “I just got hired for a job that I thought was in Mundelein, but it turns out they have me traveling all over the county!”
With gas prices approaching record heights, the unexpected travel expenses added up fast. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to get to work until I heard about you guys,” Michael said. “Then, when my first paycheck got delayed, I really didn’t know what to do.”
“Our community partner, Catholic Charities, did a great job sending Michael our way” said Dean Adams, Michael’s Veteran Peer Specialist, “We are always happy to help Veterans get to work, court, or medical appointments.”
LCVFSF provided Michael with $200 in gas station gift cards to help him get to his project sites, where he fabricates displays for a major hardware chain. He is still employed and considering buying his own home.
William Lowe
Navy Veteran
When William Lowe’s roommate died, he lost that relationship. And he lost that income stream that paid half the rent
Facing a problem paying the rent by himself, Lowe sought help. He was referred to LCVFSF. The foundation put him in touch with the VA’s HUD/VASH program at the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
HUD/VASH helps Veterans faced with homelessness find affordable housing. It was able to find an apartment that met his needs and was within his budget
Lowe is still moving some items into his new apartment but already it feels like home. “Thank you to Lake County Veterans and Family Services Foundation and HUD/VASH for helping me find this apartment,” he said.
Quincy and Patrice Lockette
Army Veteran
Army Veteran Quincy Lockett and his wife Patrice were in a serious bind. Their truck wouldn’t run, and they didn’t have the money to pay for repairs. Having no transportation meant that Patrice would not be able to keep working.
The couple contacted Catholic Charities and were referred to Lake County Veterans and Family Services Foundation for possible help.
LCVFSF’s Kevin Guyot took immediate action to get financial assistance for the couple. Applying to the foundation’s Vets-in-Need program, Kevin received enough money to pay for half of the repairs (the Locketts paid for the other half).
Kevin hand-delivered a check to the repair shop. The Locketts got their truck back running good as new. “The foundation really helped us out quickly,” said Patrice. “We’re very thankful.”
DryHootch Drop-In Center
Free Coffee and snack
100 So. Atkinson, Suite 110
Grayslake, Illinois 60030
Hours We’re Here
Mon-Fri: 10am – 5pm
Contact Us 24/7
847-986-4622
