VETERAN SERVICES
& PROJECT HERO
Heaven Sent helps Veterans and their families navigate complicated systems without expecting them to know the name of every program first. Start by telling us what is happening. We help identify the next responsible pathway.
Veteran Housing Navigation
Three important VA homelessness pathways serve different needs. You do not have to determine the right one alone.
HUD-VASH Intake & Eligibility Permanent supportive housing pathway → SSVF Eligibility / Intake / Casework Prevention and rapid-rehousing pathway → HCHV Navigation VA homeless outreach and connection to care →What Does the Veteran Need Today?
A Veteran should not have to know the name of a program before asking for help. Start with the problem in front of you. Heaven Sent can help organize the next responsible step and connect the Veteran with the appropriate qualified resource.
Sleeping Outside Tonight
Outreach, immediate basic-needs planning, VA homeless-resource navigation and appropriate emergency/community connections.
Living in a Vehicle
Transportation, vehicle-stability concerns, hygiene/basic needs, housing navigation and Safe Harbor pathways as they become available.
Motel-to-Motel
Housing-crisis screening, documentation, benefits/resource navigation and connections to appropriate Veteran and community programs.
Facing Eviction
Early screening for prevention resources, SSVF or other appropriate housing-stability pathways based on eligibility and availability.
Needs Food or Clothing
Basic-needs support and connections to food, clothing, hygiene and other community resources within available capacity.
Cannot Get to an Appointment
Transportation planning for VA, housing, documents, employment and other critical service connections.
Missing ID or Documents
Help organizing the steps needed to replace or obtain documents required for housing, work, benefits and services.
Needs VA Healthcare
Navigation toward appropriate VA primary, specialty, mental-health, dental, vision and other qualified healthcare resources.
Disability or Mobility Barrier
Accessibility planning and connections to qualified disability, mobility, prosthetic, transportation and vocational resources.
Needs Work or Training
Employment, résumé, apprenticeship, workforce, vocational and future Safe Harbor Workforce Academy pathways.
Family Is in Crisis
Whole-household planning that considers spouses, children, caregivers, food, school continuity, transportation and housing stability.
Pet or Service Animal Is a Barrier
Zeus Pet Support can help consider pet/service-animal needs in the household's stability and resource plan.
Needs Someone to Talk To
Veteran-to-Veteran peer support, voluntary pastoral support and connection to qualified behavioral-health professionals when appropriate.
Has Been Turned Away
One closed door does not automatically end the search. Heaven Sent can help review the situation and identify another lawful, appropriate pathway.
Needs Benefits Navigation
Help organizing questions and connecting with the appropriate accredited or authorized Veteran-benefit resource.
Doesn't Know Where to Start
That is enough reason to call. Tell us what is happening; Project HERO can help identify the next responsible door.
One Veteran. Several Possible Doors.
The right pathway depends on the Veteran's housing situation, health needs, eligibility, level of support required and immediate crisis. Heaven Sent helps Veterans understand those doors and make the next connection.
HUD-VASH
Permanent supportive housing combining rental assistance with VA case management for eligible Veterans who need ongoing support.
SSVF
Homelessness prevention and rapid-rehousing services for eligible Veteran households.
HCHV
VA homeless outreach and connection to healthcare, treatment, rehabilitation and appropriate homeless services.
VA Healthcare
Connections to appropriate primary care, mental health, specialty care and other VA healthcare resources.
Employment
Connections to Veteran employment, workforce, vocational, apprenticeship and training pathways.
Community Resources
When a VA program is not the appropriate answer, Heaven Sent can help identify other qualified community resources.
Eligibility rules can be complicated. A Veteran who is unsure should still ask for help and allow the responsible program to determine eligibility.
HUD-VASH Intake & Eligibility
Housing assistance plus ongoing VA case management and supportive services.
HUD-VASH May Be an Appropriate Path When:
- A Veteran is experiencing homelessness.
- Permanent housing assistance is needed.
- The Veteran needs ongoing case-management support.
- Health, disability or other barriers make housing stability difficult.
Heaven Sent Can Help With:
- Initial housing-needs screening
- Understanding the HUD-VASH pathway
- Organizing available documentation
- VA homeless-services connections
- Transportation planning
- Housing-navigation follow-through
SSVF Eligibility / Intake / Casework
Housing-stability services for eligible Veteran families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
SSVF Pathways Can Include:
- Rapid rehousing
- Homelessness prevention
- Housing case management
- Benefits and resource connections
- Housing-stability planning
- Eligible temporary financial assistance when authorized by the responsible grantee
Heaven Sent Can Help With:
- Initial housing-crisis screening
- Understanding the SSVF process
- Document organization
- Connection to the appropriate SSVF provider
- Transportation and employment-resource connections
- Continued Heaven Sent casework where appropriate
HCHV Referral & Outreach Pathway
An important VA entry point for outreach, engagement, healthcare connections and homeless Veteran services.
Outreach
HCHV focuses heavily on reaching Veterans experiencing homelessness, particularly Veterans who may not already be connected with VA services.
Connection to VA Care
The program can provide an entry point into appropriate VA healthcare, treatment, rehabilitation and homeless-service resources.
Residential Services
Depending on individual circumstances and eligibility, HCHV includes pathways involving contracted residential services.
When a Veteran Is in Crisis, the Whole Household Can Feel It.
Project HERO looks beyond a single referral. A spouse, child, caregiver, pet or service animal may be part of the stability plan, and practical barriers can affect whether the Veteran can successfully reach housing, healthcare, employment or recovery.
Family Stability Can Include
- Food, clothing, hygiene and immediate basic-needs connections
- School continuity and child/family resource navigation
- Transportation and mobility planning
- Caregiver and disability-resource connections
- Housing navigation that considers the household
- Employment and income-stability planning
- Voluntary faith and pastoral support
- Zeus Pet Support for pet/service-animal barriers where resources allow
Protecting What Is Still Working
Crisis response should not accidentally destroy the parts of a household that are still holding together. Keeping employment, school attendance, communication, transportation, appointments and family routines intact can be part of preventing a deeper housing crisis.
Project HERO's role is to listen to the whole situation, identify the immediate barrier and connect the household with the appropriate qualified resources while continuing Heaven Sent casework where appropriate and available.
Sometimes the Bridge to Help Is Another Veteran.
Military culture can be difficult to explain to someone who has never lived it. Project HERO's Veteran-to-Veteran approach creates a place where the first conversation can begin with shared understanding.
Peer support can help reduce isolation, build trust, organize the next step and encourage a Veteran to remain engaged with the professional, VA and community resources appropriate to the situation.
Medical treatment, behavioral-health care, legal services, accredited VA claims assistance and other regulated services remain with appropriately qualified professionals.
A Referral Doesn't Work If the Veteran Can't Get There.
Transportation can be the difference between a scheduled appointment and a missed opportunity. Project HERO treats mobility as part of the service plan rather than an afterthought.
Heaven Sent Transportation Coordination
When resources and availability permit, Heaven Sent can help identify transportation options for VA intake, housing appointments and other critical Veteran-service connections.
VA / DAV Transportation
Orlando VA currently lists Veterans Transportation Network / DAV transportation services.
407-646-5900 — Option 2
Transportation Planning
Casework can include identifying appointment locations, mobility limitations, transit options, scheduling barriers and other transportation needs.
The Veteran Is More Than a Housing Case.
Project HERO can help Veterans identify appropriate VA and community resources for healthcare needs while leaving diagnosis and treatment to qualified healthcare professionals.
Primary & Specialty Care
Navigation to appropriate VA healthcare and qualified community resources.
Mental Health
Connections to qualified mental-health, PTSD, substance-use and crisis resources.
Dental Resources
Help identify VA eligibility or qualified community dental resources when appropriate.
Vision & Eyeglasses
Navigation to available VA and community vision resources and eyeglass assistance.
Mobility & Accessibility
Connections to appropriate prosthetic, mobility, accessibility and disability resources.
Ongoing Support
Help connect healthcare needs with housing, transportation, employment and other parts of the Veteran's stability plan.
Housing Can Stabilize Today. Opportunity Helps Build Tomorrow.
Veterans who want employment, training, apprenticeship, additional credentials or entrepreneurship should have a pathway beyond the immediate crisis.
Career Readiness
Résumé development, interviewing, digital applications and employer preparation.
Workforce Training
Skilled trades, technology, culinary, automotive/RV, logistics and disaster-service pathways.
Apprenticeship / OJT
Connections to appropriate apprenticeship and work-based learning opportunities.
Disabled Veteran Pathways
Navigation to appropriate vocational, accommodation and VA VR&E resources where eligible.
Entrepreneurship
Connections to appropriate SBA, VBOC and Veteran business-development resources.
Long-Term Follow-Through
The goal is not simply getting a job. It is building sustainable stability.
Sometimes Strength Begins With Knowing Somebody Cares.
Veterans are trained to carry the load. That does not mean they should have to carry every crisis alone.
Mop, Heaven Sent's traditional tan teddy bear, represents comfort and the simple message that somebody still sees the person — not just the paperwork, diagnosis, housing status or crisis.
Manie, Heaven Sent's soft gray manatee, represents Safe Harbor: calm, protection, gentleness and a safe place to land while the next step is worked out.
Mop & Manie do not replace housing, VA care, transportation, casework, professional treatment or emergency services. They represent the heart behind the work: dignity, compassion, belonging and refusing to let a Veteran become just another case number.
Not Just a Referral. A Path Toward Stability.
Heaven Sent's long-term vision connects Veteran outreach and Project HERO casework with the broader Safe Harbor continuum so a Veteran can move from immediate crisis toward housing, income, support, purpose and greater independence.
Joseph “Joe” Ryan
Project HERO is built around a straightforward principle: treat the Veteran with dignity, listen to the whole situation, and help identify a real next step.
There Is Help Available Right Now.
For a Veteran who is homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, the VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
HOMELESS VETERANS: 877-424-3838 VETERANS CRISIS LINE: 988 — PRESS 1Call 911 for an immediate life-threatening emergency.
You Don't Need to Know the Program.
Start by Telling Us What Is Happening.
HUD-VASH, SSVF, HCHV, healthcare, transportation, employment or something else — Heaven Sent can help identify the next responsible door.
Heaven Sent Veteran Services
Main / Project HERO
(407) 279-0520
Joseph “Joe” Ryan — Founder & Executive Director • U.S. Navy Veteran
(717) 623-0164
MSG Darrell Whited (Ret.) — Veteran Services
(689) 262-6524 ext. 103
Independent Nonprofit Notice: Heaven Sent Community Services & Veterans Assistance is an independent nonprofit organization and is not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
HUD-VASH, SSVF, HCHV and other VA program eligibility, enrollment, benefits and assistance decisions are made by the responsible authorized agency, provider or program under applicable requirements.
Heaven Sent provides community-based navigation, casework, peer support, referral assistance and other services within its role and available capacity. References to government and community programs describe referral or navigation pathways and do not imply endorsement, formal partnership, funding or guaranteed eligibility.
Peer support does not replace licensed medical or behavioral-health care, emergency services, legal representation, accredited VA claims representation or other regulated professional services.
Heaven Sent does not guarantee housing, vouchers, financial assistance, benefits, employment, transportation, grants or program approval.
© 2026 Heaven Sent Community Services & Veterans Assistance.
PROJECT HERO
THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO NAVIGATE THE NEXT MISSION ALONE.
Project HERO is Heaven Sent's Veteran-focused service model, designed to help Veterans and their families navigate homelessness, housing instability, VA and community resources, transportation, employment, disability-related barriers, healthcare connections, family needs and the road from crisis toward greater stability.
We begin with the Veteran — not the paperwork. We listen, identify the immediate need, build the next-step plan, make appropriate connections and remain engaged wherever Heaven Sent's role and resources allow.
A Veteran-Centered Front Door for Help, Hope, Opportunity and Connection.
Heaven Sent envisions a dedicated Veteran-centered service environment where housing navigation, client casework, Veteran peer support, employment and workforce development, healthcare-resource navigation, disability resources, family support, transportation, technology access, food and essential needs, and voluntary faith and pastoral care can work together instead of operating as disconnected pieces.
A Veteran may live only a short drive from a major resource and still struggle to reach the right program, understand eligibility, gather documentation, secure transportation, find dental or vision resources, maintain employment or simply determine who to call next.
Project HERO is designed to help shorten that distance.
Stabilize. Rebuild. Reconnect.
The mission is larger than solving one immediate problem. It is helping the Veteran move from today's crisis toward a sustainable next chapter.
Stabilize
- Housing and homelessness navigation
- HUD-VASH navigation
- SSVF navigation
- Food and essential needs
- Transportation barriers
- Safety and crisis-resource connections
- Immediate casework priorities
Rebuild
- Employment readiness
- Workforce training
- Apprenticeship and OJT pathways
- Disability employment resources
- Financial education
- Transportation planning
- Housing-stability planning
Reconnect
- Veteran-to-Veteran peer support
- Family and caregiver resources
- Community reconnection
- Purpose and service opportunities
- Optional pastoral support
- Recreation and community activities
- A place to belong
Sometimes Trust Begins With Someone Who Understands the Language.
Military service creates experiences, responsibilities, habits and ways of communicating that can be difficult to explain to someone who has never worn the uniform.
Project HERO's peer model is designed to give Veterans another bridge into services — someone who can listen without judgment, understand military culture, help organize the immediate mission, encourage follow-through and help reduce the isolation that can accompany homelessness, disability, unemployment or transition.
Project HERO peer support is intended to complement — not replace — licensed healthcare, behavioral-health treatment, emergency services, accredited Veteran claims representation, professional case management or other regulated services. Peers help Veterans connect, engage, navigate and keep moving toward the appropriate professional resource.
What the Project HERO Veterans Service Center Model Brings Together
The vision is not another office full of brochures. It is a coordinated Veteran service environment that helps connect immediate needs with longer-term stability.
Housing
HUD-VASH, SSVF, homelessness prevention, rapid-rehousing and other appropriate housing-resource navigation.
Veteran Casework
Assessment, individualized planning, documentation, referrals, coordination and appropriate follow-through.
Peer Support
Structured Veteran-to-Veteran engagement designed to build trust, reduce isolation and encourage connection.
Healthcare Navigation
Connections to VA and qualified community healthcare, behavioral-health and wellness resources.
Dental & Vision
Navigation to available dental, eyeglass, vision and related healthcare resources for eligible Veterans.
Employment
Résumé preparation, interview readiness, employer connections, workforce resources, apprenticeship and OJT pathways.
Benefits Resources
Navigation and referral to appropriate VA, Social Security, disability and accredited benefits resources.
Family & Caregivers
Connections for spouses, children and caregivers affected by the Veteran's housing, disability or financial situation.
No Wrong Door for a Veteran.
A Veteran should not have to understand every VA acronym before asking for help. Heaven Sent begins with the Veteran's situation, helps identify the appropriate pathway, makes the connection, and continues community casework and follow-through within our role.
Housing status, immediate safety, Veteran status, household needs, healthcare needs, transportation barriers and other circumstances can affect which program is appropriate. Final eligibility and enrollment decisions remain with the responsible VA program, authorized provider, public housing agency or other responsible entity.
HUD-VASH
HUD rental assistance combined with VA case management and supportive services for eligible Veterans.
- Listening to the Veteran's housing situation
- Preliminary navigation and information gathering
- Helping organize available non-sensitive documentation
- Connecting the Veteran with the appropriate VA homeless-services pathway
- Transportation planning where resources permit
- Continued community casework and follow-through where appropriate
Eligibility: Determined through the authorized HUD-VASH process. Heaven Sent does not issue HUD-VASH vouchers.
HUD-VASH INTAKE & ELIGIBILITY →SSVF
Short-term rental assistance and supportive services through authorized VA-funded SSVF grantees for eligible Veteran families.
- Preliminary housing-crisis screening
- Helping identify prevention or rapid-rehousing needs
- Helping organize available non-sensitive information
- Referral to an appropriate authorized SSVF grantee
- Transportation and community-resource coordination
- Continued Heaven Sent casework where appropriate
Eligibility and financial assistance: Determined by the authorized SSVF grantee under current VA program requirements.
SSVF ELIGIBILITY / INTAKE / CASEWORK →HCHV
Health Care for Homeless Veterans helps VA reach Veterans experiencing homelessness and connect them with VA care, treatment and rehabilitative services.
- Outreach is a core HCHV function
- Designed to reach vulnerable Veterans who may not already be connected to services
- Provides an entry point into appropriate VA care
- Can connect Veterans with treatment and rehabilitative programs
- Includes additional homeless-services pathways within VA
Heaven Sent can help identify a Veteran needing a VA homeless-services connection and assist with navigation. VA determines the appropriate program and services.
OFFICIAL VA HCHV INFORMATION →More Than Handing a Veteran Another Phone Number.
Project HERO is designed to help reduce the distance between identifying a need and reaching the organization responsible for addressing it.
Listen
Begin with what is happening to the Veteran today.
Identify
Identify housing, healthcare, transportation and other immediate needs.
Prepare
Help organize questions and available non-sensitive information needed for the next connection.
Connect
Refer or connect the Veteran with the responsible VA, SSVF or community resource.
Follow Through
Continue Heaven Sent casework and resource coordination where appropriate and within our role.
Don't Screen Yourself Out.
VA's current homeless-program guidance notes that HUD-VASH and SSVF eligibility details can be complex and encourages referral of Veterans. If a Veteran is uncertain about eligibility, Heaven Sent can help make the appropriate connection so the responsible program can evaluate the Veteran's circumstances under current requirements.
Current Orlando VA Resources in One Place.
A Veteran should not have to search ten different pages just to figure out where to start. These resources provide direct entry points into the Orlando VA Healthcare System.
National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
877-424-3838Free, confidential VA homeless assistance available 24/7.
Orlando VA Medical Center — Lake Nona
407-631-100013800 Veterans Way, Orlando, Florida.
Orlando VA Primary Care Call Center
407-646-4500VA Orlando also lists 877-646-4550 as its toll-free primary-care number.
Lake Nona Mental Health Clinic
407-631-2050VA Orlando mental-health appointments and services.
Lake Baldwin Mental Health Clinic
407-646-5400VA Orlando mental-health services at Lake Baldwin.
VA Clinical Contact Center
877-741-3400Current VA Orlando Clinical Contact Center number.
A Referral Is Not Much Help If the Veteran Cannot Get There.
Project HERO considers transportation barriers when helping Veterans plan VA appointments, housing intake and other critical service connections.
DAV Transportation
VA Orlando works with Disabled American Veterans and county Veterans Affairs directors to provide free rides for qualifying Veterans who need transportation to scheduled VA medical appointments.
Important: VA Orlando says DAV transportation should be scheduled at least one week in advance. DAV vans are limited to ambulatory passengers who can board and exit without driver assistance.
Veterans Transportation Service
VA Orlando also identifies Veterans Transportation Service and other transportation options, including accessible transportation resources. Availability and eligibility can vary.
Heaven Sent Transportation Navigation
When a Veteran tells Heaven Sent that transportation is preventing access to housing intake, healthcare or another critical service, Project HERO can help identify available transportation resources and coordinate within Heaven Sent's available capacity.
Transportation is not guaranteed and depends on eligibility, scheduling, service area and available resources.
The System May Be Complicated.
The First Conversation Doesn't Have to Be.
Project HERO's peer approach gives Veterans an opportunity to begin with people who understand military culture while connecting them with qualified professionals and programs when professional services are required.
Listen First
Begin with the Veteran's actual problem rather than forcing the Veteran into a predetermined program.
Build Trust
Shared military understanding can help make a difficult first conversation easier to begin.
Make the Connection
Peer support should help move the Veteran toward the qualified service, provider or program that can address the need.
Stay Connected
Project HERO can continue community casework and peer connection within Heaven Sent's role after a referral is made.
Medical care, behavioral-health treatment, legal services, accredited VA claims representation and other regulated services remain with appropriately qualified professionals.
Project HERO — No Wrong Door
You do not need to know whether the answer is HUD-VASH, SSVF, HCHV, healthcare, transportation or another resource before you call.
If the Need Is Urgent, Use the Fastest Door.
Veterans experiencing homelessness or imminent risk of homelessness can contact VA's National Call Center for Homeless Veterans.
HOMELESS VETERANS • 877-424-3838 VETERANS CRISIS LINE • 988 THEN PRESS 1Veterans Crisis Line text: 838255. Call 911 for an immediate life-threatening emergency.
Independent nonprofit notice: Heaven Sent Community Services & Veterans Assistance is an independent nonprofit organization. Heaven Sent is not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a public housing authority or an SSVF grantee unless separately documented.
Heaven Sent provides community-based outreach, preliminary navigation, casework, peer support, referral assistance, transportation coordination and follow-through within its role and available capacity.
HUD-VASH eligibility, Veteran selection, voucher issuance, housing-authority requirements and case-management decisions are handled by the responsible authorized entities under applicable program rules. Heaven Sent does not issue HUD-VASH vouchers.
SSVF eligibility, enrollment and temporary financial assistance are determined and administered by authorized SSVF grantees under current VA requirements. Heaven Sent may assist with preliminary screening, navigation, documentation preparation, referral and community casework.
HCHV services are administered through VA. Heaven Sent can assist Veterans in identifying and connecting with appropriate VA homeless-services resources but does not make VA eligibility or treatment decisions.
Transportation availability varies by program, eligibility, scheduling, passenger needs, service area and provider capacity. Heaven Sent does not guarantee transportation.
Do not send Social Security numbers, VA file numbers, banking information, complete medical records or other sensitive personal information through ordinary email.
One Place to Start.
The Right Door From There.
Veterans and their families should not have to search through dozens of websites or understand every VA acronym before asking for help. Start with Heaven Sent Veteran Services, or go directly to the specialized housing and VA resources below.
Heaven Sent Veteran Services
Project HERO, Veteran-to-Veteran support, casework, VA navigation, housing-resource connections, transportation, employment, family support and follow-through.
ENTER VETERAN SERVICES →HUD-VASH Navigation
Learn about the HUD-VASH pathway and how Heaven Sent can help with navigation, preparation, VA connections, housing-resource coordination and follow-through.
HUD-VASH INFORMATION →SSVF Navigation
Preliminary screening, intake preparation, casework and connection to the appropriate authorized SSVF provider.
SSVF HELP →Client Case Assistance
Start a Heaven Sent assistance request for housing, Veteran resources, transportation, documentation, referrals or other needs.
REQUEST ASSISTANCE →Orlando VA Homeless Veteran Care
Direct VA information for Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including VA homeless-care and service connections.
VISIT OFFICIAL VA PAGE ↗Not Sure Which Program You Need?
That's okay. You do not need to diagnose the system before asking for help. Tell Heaven Sent what is happening. We can help identify the appropriate next connection and let the responsible VA program, housing provider or authorized service organization determine program eligibility.