A Message from Toni Reinis

Since we began operations in 1992, New Directions has transformed the lives of thousands of U.S. military veterans.  Unfortunately, many thousands of veterans remain homeless on the streets of Los Angeles County.  In the coming years, as the more than 1.7 million troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan return home from their wartime experience, we expect the number of displaced veterans to swell.  Although the Veterans Administration provides healthcare, the VA cannot provide the critical comprehensive services that these veterans need and New Directions provides.

At New Directions, we take great pride in all veterans.  But for many the return home is followed by a difficult struggle to find their way back to family, employment, housing and sobriety. True to our mission, New Directions provides these veterans with the life-saving tools they need to return to their families and become productive members of our society.

Let me share with you some of our accomplishments from the past year.  In 2008 New Directions provided:

• Family Reunification classes for 113 veterans and family members
• Outreach to 2,613 homeless persons
• Distribution of more than 1,800 bag lunches to the homeless community
• Detoxification services for 569 veterans.
• Housing and services to 507 veterans.
• Employment placement for 85 veterans.
• Permanent housing placement for 174 veterans.
• Services targeted specifically to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, at our new transitional home in West Los Angeles

The support of our friends and constituents is vital to our agency's success -- and so appreciated by the men and women who are struggling to recover from the wounds of war.

Thank you for your support.

Toni Reinis
Executive Director