When Tom, a Bellingham Veteran experiencing homelessness, first met senior housing case manager, Lala Hennessy, he told her two things.
One: He was tired of being homeless.
Two: He didn’t want Opportunity Council’s help finding a place to call home.
It wasn’t that Tom didn’t trust Opportunity Council, exactly. It was that he had lost trust in the system after trying to get through the maze of requirements and bureaucracy on his own.
Veterans often leave the organized structure of the military only to find themselves in years of uncertainty, setbacks, and frustrations. Tom’s distrust of the system is a result of a common story: things not turning out the way they planned for Veterans.
Untangling The Next Step
Lala and Tom continued to meet, and Lala became a steady presence in Tom’s life who kept showing up. That’s how she built the rapport that broke through Tom’s lack of trust.
Jenn Johnson, a housing support coordinator at Opportunity Council, said Veterans come to her with a wide range of circumstances and needs, so the work is different every day. The moments that stand out most are seeing Veterans go from feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next to finding and taking a clear next step.
“Sometimes it’s a big change, and sometimes it’s something relatively small, but those moments are rewarding because you know you were able to help someone move forward,” she said.
Lala Hennessy, senior housing case manager, met Tom where he was and built trust
A Steady Path
Navigating the systems that are supposed to help Veterans can be an obstacle in itself, but Opportunity Council brings together resources to get Veterans the help they need. We walk alongside Veterans to listen to their stories and build trust while connecting them to services and resources.
Veterans can come here with their problems and questions, and leave with an understanding of what’s available to them: whether that’s help with healthcare, child care, legal issues, or something else. Everyone deserves to have what they need to thrive and contribute to their community—and our Veterans Services program is a stepping stone on that journey.
“We appreciate being able to meet people where they are, listen to what they need, and help connect them with resources that may make things a little more manageable,” Jenn said.
The program helps Veterans connect with resources and help that can improve their stability and quality of life. This can include help with finding a job or a place to call home and help with finances, VA like disability pay, and community resources. In 2025, 208 Veterans were served by Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) and Veterans Assistance Funds (VAF).
Tom is one of many Veterans who came away from our Veterans Services program with a clear path forward. His story is an example of what’s possible when someone has another person to walk alongside them on a path that feels impossible to follow on their own.
Creating a Peaceful Life for Veterans
Lala helped Tom get back on his feet, and eventually he was approved for a housing voucher, making it easier for him to afford a home. Case management and other services also helped improve Tom’s legal setbacks.
Recently, after Lala and Tom worked together for over a year, he found a place to live that would meet his needs. Now having his own place, he made it feel homey, comfortable, and clean, something he didn’t have control over amid the chaos of the shelters he stayed at.
Building trust and meeting people where they’re at can be the first step to addressing the complex issues Veterans face after the military. Tom’s story is just one example of that.
The Veterans’ Day holiday gives us a chance to pause and recognize the service of our Veterans, but we want to honor the sacrifices they’ve made on more than a single day. The celebrations only happen once a year, but the rest of the year, Veterans deserve for their selfless actions to be met with a stable foundation for life after service.
Our community has a big part to play in what happens next in the stories of Veterans like Tom. Together, we can make sure Veterans have access to the things they need to thrive.
Donations make this work possible by covering costs like portions of rent and motel stays. Your gift will give a Veteran a sure next step forward—a way to clear the hurdles between them and a stable life. This Veterans’ Day, honor service by making sure Veterans in our own community can access what they need to build the future their service has earned.
Help Veterans get what they need for the life they deserve by donating to Veterans Services today.
