Power in Partnership: Honoring Veterans Through Community Hope
How community partnerships and coordinated care networks improve Veteran health outcomes.
In honor of Military Appreciation Month, we invited Jenn Stivers, MA, LCADC, CCS, Chief Programs Officer, and Peggy Banko, Chief Development Officer of Community Hope, a community-based organization in New Jersey, to sit down and share their thoughts on the importance of supporting Veterans through strategic partnerships, modern workflows, and a whole-person approach to care.
Community Hope is part of Unite New Jersey, a statewide coordinated care network consisting of healthcare, government, nonprofit, and other organizations that connects residents to needed health and community-based services. The network has reached over 76,000 service members, Veterans, and their families in New Jersey.
Military Appreciation Month is a time to reflect not only on the service of our nation’s Veterans, but on our collective responsibility to support them when they return home.
At Community Hope, that responsibility is at the core of everything we do. For decades, we have been dedicated to helping individuals and families overcome mental illness, homelessness, and poverty—with a deep and unwavering commitment to Veterans. We believe that the words homeless and Veteran should never go together and our work is grounded in providing not just services, but stability, dignity, and hope.
What Are Common Veteran Challenges When Transitioning Out of Service?
The Veterans we serve often face complex and interconnected challenges. Many are navigating housing instability or homelessness, while also managing mental health conditions, including PTSD. Others encounter barriers to employment or experience a profound sense of isolation after transitioning out of military life. These challenges rarely exist in isolation, which is why our approach focuses on whole-person care—addressing both the clinical and non-clinical needs that are essential to long-term stability and well-being.
How is Community Hope Addressing Some of These Challenges?
To meet these needs, Community Hope has built a comprehensive continuum of care designed to support Veterans at every stage of their journey. Our Veterans housing programs provide safe, stable environments that serve as a foundation for rebuilding lives. Through supportive services, including case management, employment assistance, and skill building groups, we help vVeterans regain independence. Our rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention case management programs offer compassionate, individualized care, and our Case Managers ensure that each Veteran is connected to the right resources at the right time. Our SSG Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program team is able to provide critical support, resource navigation, education, lethal means safety, and much more so that Veterans and their families don’t have to go it alone.
As the needs of Veterans have evolved, so too have our programs—expanding to provide more integrated and responsive support.
How Do Cross-Sector Partnerships Improve Veteran Outcomes?
Central to this work is the understanding that no single organization can do it alone. Partnership is not just a strategy for Community Hope—it is a necessity. By working alongside the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, The NJ Department of Veterans Affairs, The NJ Department of Community Affairs, local housing authorities, healthcare providers, and corporate and philanthropic partners, we are able to extend our reach and strengthen our impact.
Utilizing Unite Us to receive closed-loop referrals also allows us to expand our reach, especially nationally. Unite Us also allows us to have a secure platform to communicate with referring entities and Veterans who refer themselves for services. Through Unite Us, we can also collaborate with referring entities in order to reach Veterans who may be hard to reach. These collaborations create a more seamless system of care, helping to ensure that Veterans do not fall through the cracks and can access the services they need more quickly and effectively.
Cross-sector collaboration also allows us to think beyond immediate needs and toward long-term solutions.
By leveraging the strengths of our partners, we are better equipped to address the root causes of homelessness and mental health challenges among Veterans. This network of support enables us to deliver more coordinated, holistic care—ultimately leading to better outcomes for those we serve.
What’s Next for Advancing Veteran Care?
Looking ahead, we are inspired by the opportunity to expand our impact even further. We are committed to reaching more veterans, deepening our partnerships, and continuing to innovate in how we deliver care. As the landscape of veterans’ needs continues to change, we remain focused on developing solutions that not only respond to crises but help prevent them—empowering Veterans to build sustainable, independent futures.
What drives us most is the shared commitment we see across our community of partners and supporters. When organizations and individuals come together with a common purpose—to serve those who have served us—we create something far greater than any one effort alone. Partnerships amplify our ability to provide access, opportunity, and hope.
This Military Appreciation Month, we are reminded that honoring veterans goes beyond words. It requires action, compassion, and sustained commitment. At Community Hope, we are proud to stand beside Veterans every day—working to ensure that each individual has the opportunity to live with dignity, stability, and the hope they have earned through their service.
Meet the Authors
Peggy Banko, MBAChief Development Officer
Jennifer Stivers, MA, LCADC, CCSChief Programs Officer
Learn more at
https://www.communityhope-nj.org/
