Local 'angels' step up to help formerly homeless Veterans

“Waukesha Elks have helped so many Veterans in the homeless program that we no long call them Waukesha Elks, but the ‘Elks Angels,’” said Anne Rivera, a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a Veterans peer support specialist with the Milwaukee VA who helps Veterans find permanent housing.

“They have changed so many lives and have put so many smiles on Veterans’ faces.  The Elks Angels are truly amazing! The time and money this organization spends to support these Veterans is admirable.”

While there are many community and service organizations that support Veterans, the Waukesha group — officially known as the Elks Veteran Service Program — has, in two years, raised thousands of dollars and donated countless pieces of furniture and other necessities to formerly homeless Veterans moving into their new housing.

Filling the gap

While the Milwaukee VA helps secure housing for Veterans and provides a bed, it can only go so far when it comes to furnishing these new homes. And most of the Veterans have nothing — no chairs, tables, cooking/eating utensils or the other small things most people take for granted.

“These Veterans can be vulnerable, low-income or may struggle with mental health and/or substance abuse,” Rivera said. “Therefore, it can be very overwhelming for them to move into empty housing and struggle to obtain or buy household items.”

That’s where the Elks step in.

“They’re always eager to help. They find the things that we don’t have the resources for,” Rivera said. “They really go above and beyond, and they do it with a passion that’s outstanding.”

Started small

According to Mary Ellen Ruzga, who coordinates the Elks Veterans Service Program, the outreach began two years ago when she and others attended an Elks national convention and learned about Welcome Home Kits, part of the national organization’s effort to aid homeless Veterans.

Inspired to bring the initiative to southeastern Wisconsin, Ruzga and her colleagues connected with the Milwaukee VA and Rivera and began helping Veterans in need.

They started small, with an initial investment of $400, which was reimbursed to the Waukesha Elks by the national organization. The $400 was used to purchase items needed by the first Veteran the Elks aided.

Ruzga figured the program would stay small, with the group helping maybe one Veteran a month, and the $400 continuing to circulate. 

But she was wrong.

As word spread, donations started to flow in, both monetary and material. The group quickly outgrew its storage unit, but a woman offered up space in a building she owns.

The monetary donations are used to purchase new and used furniture and other necessities.

“I’ve become a very good shopper,” Ruzga said, saying she relies on thrift stores to get the most for the money. “We try to find things on sale and buy in bulk. We try to get as much as we can.”

An asset for VA

Rivera got connected to the group last summer while trying to help a Veteran with no income who was moving into an apartment.

“I let them know the stuff he needed, and within a week, they had all of it,” she said. “They’re always eager to help.”

Since then, Rivera consistently reaches out to the Elks for help, and the Elks keep answering the call, able to fulfill bigger and bigger wish lists from the Veterans. 

“Now, when I get the call from Anne, she’ll say, ‘I have a vet who has an apartment; here are the things they need.’ That’s when we step up,” Ruzga said.

Recently, the Elks helped Veteran Bob Mueller get a special type of recliner, because he is unable to sleep in a regular bed due to a medical condition. They delivered it to his new apartment at Vets Place Central in Milwaukee.

“This means an awful lot,” Mueller said after receiving the delivery. “This will help me both mentally and physically because I’ll be able to sleep. It’s more than well appreciated.”

Goal: Aid 100 Veterans this year

To date, the Elks have helped nearly 50 Veterans and have donated about $15,000.

“We’ve taken our program to a new level. It has a life of its own now,” Ruzga said, noting she has a crew of about 10 volunteers. “I had no idea it would be like this. Our goal is to have served 100 Veterans by the end to the year.”

Ruzga is not a Veteran. While her father served in World War II, he never talked about his experiences until he was interviewed by some students working on a book about Veterans’ experience.

“After that, he talked about everything,” she said. “It just made me realize that (Veterans) dedicate their lives to our country so we can do the things we love. But when they come back, no one wants to take care of them. If I can help just a little bit and show my appreciation — that’s what motivates me.

“I’m doing little bit to make this world a better place because these people deserve it,” she said. “I hope my dad is up there, saying, ‘You’re doing good.’”