QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY, Md. — A veteran-led nonprofit on Maryland's Eastern Shore is helping former service members access vital benefits while planning an innovative housing solution.
The Veterans and Military Support Alliance (VAMSA), based in Queen Anne's County and launched in 2022, supports veterans, military families, and caregivers through services like VA disability claims assistance, PTSD support groups, suicide prevention, and peer counseling.
In May 2023, VAMSA opened a resource center, the first phase of a broader plan to support military families. The center offers:
- Navigation of government and private resources
- Education and training
- Access to medical and behavioral health care
- Peer support
- Financial counseling
- Holistic therapies (massage, aromatherapy, music/art therapy)
- Entrepreneurship
- Family and caregiver support networks
“One of the things that we focus on that takes a huge amount of time is our clients who need help with VA claims for disabilities," said Johnson.
VAMSA has conducted 30 suicide interventions so far this year.
"We're still losing way too many veterans a day, it has gone down, it used to be one an hour, it's a little less than that, even one death is criminal in my opinion," said Johnson.
The organization is led by veterans who understand these challenges personally.
"My last assignment was in Afghanistan, and I had a near-capture incident where I could've been abducted, and when I got home, I knew I was going to struggle with that," said Johnson.
"I know that saved me, and unfortunately, I have two siblings, I have two brothers who took their lives that were veterans, so this project, this mission that we have is deeply personal to me," he added.
In February 2023, VAMSA signed a strategic partnership with the nationally recognized Veterans Health and Wellness Foundation. Together, they plan to create a nationally-facing Center of Excellence—a training ground for rural community leaders to learn how to support veterans and replicate the VAMSA model.
VAMSA is also working to launch a tiny homes initiative for veterans. The planned homes would be purchased using VA loans with no down payment required. When resold, the homes would return to VAMSA at market value and be offered to other veterans.
"The development of the project, which would be for one person, two people, or three," said Candella.
Before moving forward, VAMSA must secure long-term financial stability.
"In order to move on with mini homes, the resource center has to be financially able to exist without a burden on the new project of mini homes for veterans," said Candella.
The organization needs 4 to 5 million dollars or a donation of 20 - 40 acres of land for these tiny homes to be built and for the resource center to continue on.
"We're about 6 months from being financially able to exist for a year… so that we can get another $250,000 to make, which would make the resource center operating five days a week," Candella added.
VAMSA is seeking public support to continue and expand its mission.
"It's a priority for people to feel hope; people are struggling," said Johnson.
"It's a drop in the bucket for what is needed to repay them for their service," said Candella
Nonprofit helps veterans access benefits, plans tiny homes project
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