Army - Kicking Tires On Jltv

Seven Questions
For Female Veterans in Texas, There’s H.O.P.E.
Retired Army Lt. Col. Hope Jackson is the founder of H.O.P.E.
Institute, a Texas-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping
homeless female veterans become self-sufficient and independent by
offering housing, education and other services. The acronym stands
for healing, optimizing, perfecting and empowering.
1. Why did you create H.O.P.E. Institute?
I was about 20 years into my career when I got to Fort Bliss in
2006. I was ready to retire here. It struck
my spirit—that here we are next to one of
the largest and fastest-growing military
installations in the world, and there’s
nothing for [homeless] female veterans. I
purchased a home to house homeless female
veterans. That’s how H.O.P.E. Institute
was born. We received 501(c)(3)
status in June 2012.
2. What is H.O.P.E. Institute’s mission?
Our focus is homeless female veterans.
Of the nearly 22 million veterans in this
country, around 2.1 million are women.
Of that population, almost 5 percent are
homeless. What you have to keep in mind
is, that only accounts for the female veterans
who identify as homeless, because
there are still some out there who we don’t
know about yet.
Something’s wrong with that picture.
Retired Lt. Col. Hope Jackson
That could have been any of us given different
circumstances, maybe different
choices, maybe different exposures. So the focus today is to
serve those who gave of themselves so selflessly and now can’t
find a place to call home. Those numbers, this situation, isn’t
going to go away because women are still raising their right
hand to serve and defend.
3. What services does the institute provide?
Every veteran’s needs will be different. When a woman
comes in, she and I will sit down and put together what I call
an individual development plan, which is really her road map
for success. I want the resident to identify what she defines as
success. When she tells me what she wants to do in the next
phase of her life, then we will put together a road map to get
her from where she is to where she deserves to be. It is a selfgoverning
program.
The first 30 days is an acclimation period. There are not going
to be any passes. We are going to go through everything in
terms of their finances, to see if they’re getting all of the benefits
that they are entitled to. We have a job placement program in
place. We’re partners with an organization that has an online
U.S. Army/Sgt. Adam Garlington
platform for higher education that caters to the military. Any
woman coming into the program will get her education through
this organization for free.
One thing that is critically important to understand is that
this isn’t a place where these ladies can come in, go back out,
and continue along the same path that they were on before they
came in. This is a place that is about changing lives. They just
lack the resources, the mentorship and the leadership to help
them make that transition.
4. Are there specific qualifications for
these services?
Yes. First, they must be a veteran. In order
to prove that, I just need a DD-214
[certificate of release or discharge from active
duty] and a VA identification card. It
doesn’t matter their discharge status because
this is a no-judgment zone. We take
you how you come. If you are willing to
work hard to get back on your feet, to have
a life you’ve chosen and your version of the
American dream, we’re here to help.
5. How is the institute funded?
I give presentations around the city to
social and civic organizations and as a result,
many of those groups make donations
to the institute. Citizens in the community
sometimes make small donations, and the
rest comes from me.
6. What does H.O.P.E. Institute need
to continue?
Funding, funding, funding is what we need to run a facility like
this. This is a home, just like you and I live in. My military training
has taught me that the smaller the group, the larger the
chance for success. This is a four-bedroom home that has been
completely renovated. Each room houses two women, so we are
working with groups of six to eight women. It takes resources to
provide food, keep the lights on, pay the water bill. We’re looking
at anywhere from $9,000 to $10,000 a month to keep the house
operational. So that’s how people can help. They can go to our
website at www.theinstituteofhope.org and make donations.
7. What do you hope the institute will accomplish in the future?
The flagpole is here in El Paso, Texas, but the needs of female
veterans are expanding around the entire country. I see
H.O.P.E. Institute being a household name over the next five to
10 years. Anywhere that there’s a large population of female veterans
combined with a military installation, H.O.P.E. Institute
will have a footprint. We are here to change lives, one duty station
at a time.
—Jennifer Benitz
February 2016 ■ ARMY 5