Homeless veterans helped by parishioner of St. Thomas More

Friday, Oct. 28, 2016

SANDY — Four times during the past year, homeless veterans in Salt Lake City have received clothing and other necessities from Saint Thomas More Parish. The program was started by parishioner Betty Vaughn, who thought of it as a way to honor to her late husband, a career Navy officer who served during World War II and the Korean War.

“He was born and raised in Salt Lake City, he’d be now in his 90s, and I thought a good way of remembering and honoring him was helping the veterans,” said Vaughn.

To start the program, she contacted the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City and was referred to the Freedom Landing apartments, which is a transitional program for veterans that allows them 24 months of VA-funded housing. The veterans also receive training in life skills and job skills, and get mental health support.

“Helping those that need help” is the motto that Vaughn uses as she asks people to donate large or extra-large gently used or new clothing for these veterans.

“Sometimes people donate new stuff. I personally have bought hats and gloves and socks for wintertime, which is the hardest for them,” Vaughn said.

Organizing the donations gives her a chance to answer a calling from God to give back, she said.

“They offered their life for our country; they are older folks that are trying to get back on their feet and work again,” Vaughn said.

The Freedom Landing apartments are operated by the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, through the federal VA program. 

“The veterans are homeless due to a complex set of factors affecting all homeless individuals such as shortage of affordable housing, livable income, and limited access to health care … A large number of displaced and at risk-veterans live with lingering effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and possible mental health issues compounded with substance abuse and lack of family and social support networks,” according to the Salt Lake City VA homeless outreach program.

Vaughn said that almost all the veterans being helped at the Freedom Landing complex served in the wars in Korea or Vietnam, “so through all the donations collected at our parish we are helping people that really need our help.”

Vaughn collects the donations in a bin that is located at the church entrance. When it is full, she takes the items to the veterans. She also purchased TRAX tickets for the veterans to use for transportation, using a cash donation from the parish’s ladies’ association, she said.

“We also received canned and boxed food, as well as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, etc, etc..,” Vaughn said.

Now that winter weather is setting in, Vaughn expects that people will donate hats, gloves, socks and warm clothes for the veterans.

For information, contact Saint Thomas More Catholic Church, 3015 E. Creek Road, Sandy,  801-942-5285.