H.E.R.O.E.S Care: Serving the Ones Who Serve

Earlier this month our nation set aside a day to commemorate the service of the brave men and women in uniform who have sacrificed so much to protect our families and communities. I recently had the pleasure of meeting a local man dedicated to making sure that local communities are also serving our country’s post-9/11 veterans, active duty personnel, and military families during their times of need.

Jon Jerome, a resident of Fenton, is the president of H.E.R.O.E.S Care (Homefront Enabling Relationships, Opportunities, and Empowerment through Support), a partnership of caregivers and private organizations working together to offer comprehensive one-on-one services before, during, and after deployment.

Since its inception in 2009, H.E.R.O.E.S Care has expanded to 26 states and provided free mental health care, job training, and emergency material and financial aid to tens of thousands of military families. In 2013, H.E.R.O.E.S Care gave over 226,000 pounds of food, 100,000 new clothing items, and 200,000 diapers and other baby supplies to families of veterans and service members.

When a military member registers for H.E.R.O.E.S Care before deployment, they specify a point of contact to receive care in their absence. A Hometown Support Volunteer (HSV) coordinates services through H.E.R.O.E.S’ partners during their loved one’s deployment and for up to two years after their return. For example, if an individual’s car broke down during their spouse’s deployment and they could not afford repairs, the H.E.R.O.E.S contact could direct them to a mechanic that the organization would pay directly. This local approach allows military families to access necessary services without navigating cumbersome government bureaucracy, which as the VA hospital scandal revealed, often fails to provide adequate care.

HSV are also trained to recognize signs that professional mental health care is needed. Through H.E.R.O.E.S’ network of mental health providers, a veteran or their family members can receive free services. Too many members of our armed forces are returning home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Traumatic Brain Injury and lack access to the mental health care they deserve. H.E.R.O.E.S Care strives to connect them with the necessary services to help them better cope with the unimaginable horrors they have experienced.

H.E.R.O.E.S Care relies entirely on contributions and uses 98.6% of its funds to directly support families. This organization is doing tremendous good without any taxpayer dollars or a complicated administrative structure. Its success demonstrates that a vibrant network of local non-profits offering one-on-one care can do greater good than an impersonal government bureaucracy.

We can never repay our veterans and active duty service members for their willingness to lay down their lives to defend our liberties and security. H.E.R.O.E.S Care’s commitment to helping families during deployment and caring for our nation’s heroes upon their return home is an admirable way of beginning to honor their tremendous sacrifices.