Veterans Bridge Home was formed to assist veterans and their families as they make what is often a difficult transition from active service to civilian life. The guiding mission of VBH is to bring the community together through a network of partners to help veterans make valuable connections, enabling them to navigate numerous challenges including securing employment, obtaining housing, gaining access to healthcare and pursuing educational opportunities. The goal of VBH is to assist veterans and their families in becoming leading members of the Charlotte community.
History
Tommy Norman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Veterans Bridge Home, has lived most of his life in Charlotte. After graduating from Wake Forest University, Tommy joined the Army, serving in the Special Forces until 1972. When the director of the U.S. Special Operations Command Care Coalition contacted Tommy asking if he would assist a severely wounded Iraq War Veteran who wanted to relocate to Charlotte, Tommy didn’t hesitate. Soon, more calls followed requesting Tommy and his wife, Patty, provide similar help to other veterans.
The Normans reached out to the Charlotte business community and received an outpouring of generous support, which enabled the founding of VBH in July 2011. Getting the organization off the ground proved to be an ambitious task. To establish a baseline for the organization’s work, The Foundation for the Carolinas Center for Civic Leadership funded research for a report that identified the key challenges returning veterans face.
VBH works with best-in-class providers across the Charlotte region to coordinate a network of public, private and non-profit organizations that collaborate to provide an array of services to meet the specific needs of the Charlotte-area Veteran community.
New Headquarters
The Charlotte business community has continued its enthusiastic support for VBH, with donations from leading area organizations including Lowe’s, DPR Construction, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, CBI, the Charlotte Hornets, the Carolina Panthers and many others, making it possible for VBH to open its new 10,000-square-foot headquarters in the Airport Plaza building located at 5260 Parkway Plaza Blvd., Charlotte, NC, 28217.
Learn How You Can Help!
To volunteer or learn how your organization can join the VBH network of providers for general veteran support, housing services, employment readiness, healthcare resources, social organizations and opportunities for higher education, or if you are an employer interested in joining the Carolina Alliance for Veteran Employment to demonstrate your commitment to hiring and retaining veterans and military spouses, call 704.332.8802 or visit VeteransBridgeHome.org.