Member Agency Spotlight: Veterans Multi-Service Center
Cover Photo & VMC Logo are Property of the Veterans Multi-Service Center
The Philadelphia Furniture Bank depends on more than 60 member agencies in the region to refer individuals or families needing furniture. We’ve served over 8,000 homes since 2014, and the Veteran’s Multi-Service Center, also known as VMC, has been a consistent client referral source as one of our member agencies ever since. This calendar year so far, we’ve served over 100 VMC clients, supplying full sets of home furniture, including living and dining room furnishings, brand-new bedding, and more. Let's dive a bit deeper into the VMC's mission, our partnership, and their work serving our country's veterans.
The Veterans Multi-Service Center was founded in 1980, and its mission is “to provide services, programs, opportunity, and advancement to Veterans of the U.S. military and their families.” The VMC serves over 6,500 Veterans and families annually via employment, housing assistance, outreach, and more! We’re proud to support the VMC in helping make a house feel more like home for veterans in need of home furnishings.
The Veterans Multi-Service Center doesn’t just service Philadelphia; it also offers assistance to veterans in Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties within Pennsylvania and to those in Delaware and Southern New Jersey.
In employment services, the VMC offers career coaching, resume building, employment referrals, and training courses, like ServSafe, that result in relevant certifications. The VMC’s housing assistance consists of Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), a national program offering supportive services to low-income veterans experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of losing their homes. The VMC provides
eligible Veteran households with outreach, assessment, case management, advocacy, and assistance in obtaining VA and other benefits, which may include housing counseling, legal support, credit repair, financial planning services, and time-limited, temporary financial assistance.
The VMC also operates permanent supportive housing services and a drop-in Day Service Center assisting veterans experiencing homelessness with meals, showers, transportation, shelter, hygiene, haircuts, laundry facilities, and case management.
Did you know the Housing First model has been instrumental in reducing veteran homelessness nationwide?
Source: National Low-Income Housing Coalition
In 2014, VMC created the Women Veterans Program (WVP) specifically for the needs of military women in a trauma-informed space. It’s a community-based, client-centered program offering comprehensive resources to veteran women and their families, including a clothing closet, computer lab, lending library, and a children’s play area at their WVP community center, in addition to wellness and fellowship events.
Similarly to our parent organization, Pathways to Housing PA, the Veterans Multi-Service Center believes in the importance of having lived experience. In a recent social post, the VMC explained that a quarter of its staff are veterans. Check out the post below to hear from one of the VMC’s staff members on why she thinks being a veteran helps her serve clients.
The Philadelphia Furniture Bank is proud to partner with an organization doing great work in our communities. When the Veterans Multi-Service Center has a client in need of furniture, they contact us directly to set up an appointment. This appointment is a reserved time slot for them to select their furniture in person at our warehouse.
Once the client arrives, we confirm the essential information, such as the delivery address and household size. One of our staff members will then lead the client throughout the warehouse through the sections of side tables, mirrors, art, bookshelves, dining sets, soft chairs, couches, and more!
When the client walks around the warehouse, we encourage them to pick furniture that fits their style and will physically fit into their space. We want our clients to feel comfortable with the furniture they’re receiving.
Then, clients enjoy looking through the items in our “pop-up shop” section, where smaller housewares are stored. Most of these items are hauled in by Good Haul from their residential or corporate customers. This “shop” is still completely free and usually includes things like seasonal decorations, cooking utensils and dinnerware, small appliances (i.e., coffee maker), and more! In most cases, their furniture and housewares are delivered the next day!
We’re grateful to have the Veterans Multi-Service Center as a PFB member agency and proud to help serve our veterans. If you’re interested in learning more about the Veterans Multi-Service Center, view their website at vmcenter.org. You can follow them on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn. This fall, the VMC is hosting their Annual Golf Outing fundraiser on Monday, October 7th. Learn more about the event here.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Philadelphia Furniture Bank, visit our website at phillyfurniturebank.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram:
