The
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans honored some of America's
most dedicated advocates for homeless veterans at its annual
conference in Washington DC. Standing tall among them was
New Directions alumni and employee Peter Starks as he received
the 2004 Unsung Hero Award. Called an "extraordinary
man", Peter has personally helped more than 2,000 homeless
veterans regain their dignity and pride as productive members
of society. He is a testament to the healing that can occur
when people care.
Wounded
twice in Vietnam, he suffered from PTSD and a substance abuse
problem. Angry, he spent 30 years living on the streets, in
shelters and in jail. In 2001 he was diagnosed with Hepatitis
C. He came to New Directions and since then he has turned
his life around and is committed to helping other veterans
combat another enemy - Hepatitis C.
"Peter
was nominated because of his passion to help people",
say Toni Reinis, Executive Director of New Directions. "He
has dedicated himself to finding our nation's heroes under
bridges, in the parks and in the jails to offer them hope.
All he wants in return is to see these men and women get back
on their feet."
NDI's
South Korean Tour
Representatives
of the Korean Alcohol Research Foundation tour New Directions
as part of their early efforts to address substance abuse
issues in their country.
Dear
Ms. Reinis and Mr. Keaveney,
I
am writing to convey a sincere appreciation for your hospitality
and the valuable information on theservices New Directions
provides to the population with serious and multiple challenges.
It
was very impressive to witness the contrast between the visual
images of a homeless person with the chemical dependency and
the demeanors and behaviors of your participants we observed.
We could not miss the huge differences yourprogram made in
the lives of those participants we encountered during our
visit. My hat's off to your leadership to build such a competent
and effective program.
I
wish you continued success in addressing the needs of the
veterans with chemical dependency and other challenges in
their lives.
Again,
thank you very much for the great learning opportunity you
provided.
