Caritas of Waco offers services for local vets

Caritas of Waco has received a grant from the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) for their Veterans Outreach Program for low income veterans in McLennan County and five other outlying counties, including Falls County.  

Veterans Case Manager Jason McCarty is new to Caritas but hasn’t been shy about his commitment to helping veterans in need.

“Our goal is not to just give veterans a handout but to help them become self-sustainable over the course of the year we have them so they can provide for their own families,” he said.

McCarty oversees cases in Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Limestone, and Hill counties.

Veterans accepted into the program enter a one-year case management where McCarty works personally with them, offering budgeting and financing classes as well as helping them establish a stable home and professional life.

“We don’t want to help them pay a bill one month then two months later they’re back in the same boat,” McCarty said.  

Benefits of the program include assistance with utilities, housing, pre-vocation training testing, associated costs with licensing or certification, education materials, clothing for employment or vocational training, childcare costs, transportation and food.

“My heart is with the homeless vet population,” McCarty said, and earlier this month he was able to assist a homeless vet.  “We helped him pay his deposit for his move in and his rent, helped him get his utilities turned on and were able to give him a voucher to our thrift stores to help get any furniture he might need.”  In addition to that, he received a pallet of donations from Walmart with items like cleaning supplies and toiletries to get him started in his new home.  

“It’s such a vulnerable population and sometimes they just need a little bit of help,” McCarty said.  “If we can get them established in a home they can start looking for a job, or if we get them established in a home they can move out of their car.”

This is the fourth year Caritas has received a grant from the TVC, and the first year they are able to offer their services to surviving spouses of veterans.  They helped 250 veterans and their families in the first year and were able to service 300 veterans the second and third year.  

“Our benchmark this year is another 300 veterans and their families.  Our funding supports that,” said Tammy Stevens, Program Director- Client Services.

“We just want to get the word out there and if a veteran thinks they can benefit from this they can call us up and we’ll let them know,” Stevens added.

In order to qualify for the assistance program, veterans must have an income of no greater than 200% of the federal poverty level (which is an income of about $2,127 a month for one person), be in one of the six counties, and have something other than a dishonorable discharge from the military.  For a surviving spouse to qualify, they must have been married to the veteran while they were in service.

Classes offered are typically held at Caritas in Waco, but because of the pandemic, they are operating on a smaller scale.  

Charles Ray Harris, Jr., is the Veterans Case Manager for McLennan County and he says they have been authorized to see clients in the building by adhering to all safety protocols and social distancing guidelines.  “We have established a safe route to get them to that area and while we are in that area, we can perform those small budgeting classes on an individual level,” Harris said.

Transportation isn’t offered at this time, but that’s the purpose of McCarty’s role.  He travels to the counties outside of McLennan to meet with veterans.  

McCarty is at their office in Falls County, located at the MHMR building in Marlin, at 365 Coleman St. every first and third Monday of the month.

“I know the need is out there and I know the need is great,” said Stevens.  “We’re hoping they’ll come and not be embarrassed or ashamed about asking for or receiving help.”

“It’s an empowerment situation to help them get over that hump, to help them rebuild that bridge that is missing,” she continued.

Both McCarty and Harris are veterans and Stevens said she is proud they are part of the team.  “They’ve walked in those boots and understand what these veterans are going through,” she said.

“It’s kind of the unwritten rule that you don’t ask for help, to try to stand up on your own,” said Harris.  “But sometimes you need help and we are here to help.”

“They’ve earned and they deserve these benefits,” McCarty concluded.  “It’s a right they have, and we just want them to know we appreciate what they’ve done and the sacrifices they’ve made.”

If you or someone you know could benefit from the Veterans Outreach Program, call McCarty at (254) 640-0906 or email him at jmccarty@caritas-waco.org for more information.