Faith*Hope*Love*Charity, Inc. (FHLC, Inc.), a 501(c)(3) organization,
was founded in 1994 by two veterans, Roy Foster and Donald Reed.
FHLC, Inc. also does business as Stand Down House.

Mission Statement

To address the needs & unseen wounds of our veterans & service members by providing
supportive services, financial assistance, mental health services, housing, referrals,
family assistance & more and through community outreach. Located in Florida,
we do our best to help those in need regardless of where they live or are stationed.

Some Current Initiatives

Stand Down House

Helps male veterans struggling due to mental and/or physical wounds &
illness, addictions, homelessness and/or other issues regain their lives
through a multi tiered program, transitional living, & collaboration with
government agencies, veteran service organizations, & the community.
Stand Down House opened its doors in May 2000.

First Stop Veterans' Resource Center

This one-stop resource center helps all veterans, active duty service and
their families by providing emergency financial aid, VA / SSA benefit
information, employment assistance, referrals, and more. This is a
National, and potentially International, initiative.

The second First Stop Veterans' Resource Center (FSVRC) has
been opened! FSVRC South, in Broward County, is operated by
Homes of American Heroes, in conjunction with our FSVRC.

First Stop Veterans' Resource Center Housing Program

Temporary housing & supportive services for at risk & homeless female veterans
and families of active duty service & veterans. In addition to the short term benefits,
we will be working with the residents to enable them to secure permanent housing,
employment and/or benefits, etc. so that more than a quick fix is provided.

Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program (SSVF)

This DVA funded initiative to prevent & end homelessness among our veterans
allows us to provide assistance & supportive services to homeless and at-risk
veteran families in Palm Beach County, such as emergency & financial
assistance, job readiness & employment services, child care, transportation
and housing assistance. We are one of 151 community agencies in 49
states & the District of Columbia to receive a 2012 SSVF grant.

OIF/OEF Community Reintegration Services

Support & assistance for Iraq & Afghanistan veterans, active duty military
& their families. Our services include emergency financial assistance &
housing, outreach, short term Mental Health Services, referrals, & more.

Veteran Home Giveaways

As part of our efforts to address the needs & unseen wounds of our veterans
& service members we will occasionally be giving away mortgage free homes
to qualifying at risk veterans. On November 13, 2011 we gave away our
first home to a Navy veteran, who is single and a quadriplegic.

Autos for Veterans

To help Stand Down House program veterans (current/former residents)
regain their lives and live independently we have started this program,
which assists some veterans in obtaining pre-owned vehicles. The
veteran assumes all responsibilities of ownership. The program provides
part of the cost & the veteran makes payments on the balance thereby
allowing them to establish, reestablish or repair their credit.

Reliable transportation helps veterans tend to responsibilities of daily living &
can alleviate a potential barrier to employment. Veterans with certain physical
and/or mental injuries / illnesses may benefit further due to difficulty utilizing
public transportation (in general or for certain activities of daily living).

In its first month alone we were able to help one current and one former
resident get cars through the program, thanks to financial & vehicle donations.

Veterans' Docket / Court

Roy Foster of FHLC, Inc. / Stand Down House successfully assisted in the
creation of a local Veterans' Docket (aka Veterans' Court). He remains actively
involved, oversees the Volunteer Mentor Program (consisting of veterans), and
some veterans are placed at Stand Down House. In its first year alone Palm
Beach County Veterans Court had 201 vets affected by mental health and/or
substance abuse issues related to their military service go before the court.

Veterans' Dockets help prevent veterans from cycling through the courts as
they are aimed toward getting these men & women the help they really need
rather than focusing on punishment. Many of our returning veterans & other
veterans resort to drug use, & other behaviors, in an attempt to deal with
their combat/service experience and therefore end up in the justice system.

In Palm Beach County alone ~ 60 veterans enter the criminal justice system
each month. On any given day, veterans account for nine out of every 100
people in US jails & prisons. An estimated 63,000 veterans sleep in a county
jail every night, and many of them are homeless. According to the DOJ at least
90,000 veterans are released each year from city/county jails 29,000-56,000
veterans are released annually from state/federal prisons. Though most served
during the Vietnam era there are a growing number from Iraq & Afghanistan.
Crimes are usually drug/alcohol related (DUI, possession) & many 'violent'
crimes (domestic, assault, menacing) often involve drug/alcohol abuse.

Click here to read the Administrative Order creating the court,
which explains it in more detail & here to read the Judicial Media Release.

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Real Warriors Campaign

FHLC, Inc. is a proud Partner of the Real Warriors Campaign,
which "strives to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking
psychological health treatment; encourage service members to seek
treatment; and help service members, families and friends access
information and resources for psychological health."

FHLC, Inc. Sponsorships

Florida National Guard's
1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment
Among the first American forces to enter Iraq in April 2003 for OIF.

Florida Army National Guard's
1218th Transportation Company
Based out of West Palm Beach, FL.

Hometown Heroes Salutes

Help Us Help Them

Financial contributions are a large part of what enables us to continue to provide our past
& present military service members & their families these much needed services & support.

To read more about how you can help us help them click here.

Roy Foster
Founder & Executive Director FHLC, Inc.
Army Veteran

In addition to his work with FHLC, Inc. and
Stand Down House he is a member of the following:

• 15th Judicial Circuit Court Veterans' Committee
• Congressman Allen West's Veterans Advisory Board, Chair
• Congressman Ron Klein's Veterans Advisory Board, former member
• Homeless Advisory Board (Palm Beach County)
• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV)
• Palm Beach County Veterans Committee
• Palm Beach County Veterans Task Force
• Veterans Advisory Committee

He is also actively involved with:

• Palm Beach County's Veterans' Docket *
• Volunteer Mentor Program (court component)
• burials of indigent veterans
*For more information click here

Roy works 24-7-365 to help our past & present service members.
He does it because he is one of them. Because . . .
there will be no man left behind as long as we are this Nation.

In 2009, Roy Foster was chosen as a Top 10 CNN Hero

In 2012, he received a local Jefferson Award in
recognition of his contribution to our community

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Page updated October 20, 2012