Fountain Hills VFW Post 7507 recently gave the Madison Street Veterans Association $1,000 to continue its work with homeless veterans.

Using proceeds from the sale of Red Shirt Friday shirts, the post was able to “honor the dead by helping the living,” its mission statement.

The four-year-old MSVA organization receives no government support but works closely with a number of agencies to help homeless veterans re-enter society as job holding taxpayers.

The organization encourages the recipients of aid to give back to the community, even while they are receiving help themselves.

Led by former Marine Phil Yin, Post 7507 has had a continuing relationship with the Madison Street Veterans Association since its inception.

Post members, having worked to help make it happen, were at the ribbon cutting in 2009 when Governor Jan Brewer and (former) Congressman Harry Mitchell dedicated the first building for the organization. Support by the post has continued ever since then.

Madison Street Veterans Association is a peer-run, non-profit organization providing services and support for veterans experiencing homelessness.

It is supervised and operated by formerly homeless veterans offering personal, individualized service, basic resources, community, and advocacy for all veterans.

MSVA operates a drop-in center, the Veterans Outreach Center, for homeless veterans, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with computers, job search assistance, transportation and other services.

MSVA’s primary facility is MANA (Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force) House, the transitional living center needing a supportive, stable living environment while they are on a path to independence and self-sufficiency.

The dormitory style living offers space for 65 men and 16 women. MANA House offers on-site services for employment, education, substance abuse, mental health along with recreational and volunteer activities.

The vision of the MSVA is: “There is a way to heal; the nightmares end; no one is alone. There is an end to veteran homelessness.”

Their value statement is “Madison Street Veterans Association members listen, accept, and understand. We create success by demonstrating these core values: Teamwork; Duty; Service; Respect; Self-worth and Camaraderie.”

Madison Street Veterans Association Program Director Terry Araman gave assembled VFW members a presentation about current and future MSVA programs, including the new women’s programs and shelter.

During the last couple of Veterans “Stand Downs” at Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum in downtown Phoenix, MSVA played a leading role in helping over 1,000 other homeless veterans.