Life wasn’t always so difficult for Marva Lewis, a U.S. Navy veteran who became homeless after she returned to civilian life in Los Angeles.
But after she fell while working in a hospital, seriously injuring her back, she lost her job and her apartment and was soon out on the streets.
"You end up having thoughts of suicide," said Lewis about her experience of being homeless for six months. "You just feel like you’re a walking ghost. People treat you as though you (are) the lowest garbage."
A former airplane mechanic for the Navy, Lewis had the good fortune to meet Ronda Serigstad, a social worker with People Assisting The Homeless (PATH), a United Way-supported organization which finds housing for people.
"Ronda — she was like an angel," said Lewis, who now has her own apartment and is in training to return to work in the health care profession. "I’m really happy, and I’m really grateful and appreciative."
Each year, UCLA staff and faculty touch the lives of thousands of people like Lewis. Since 1968, Bruins have donated to the United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ annual campaign. Last year, UWGLA raised a total of $65.8 million, including more than $134,000 from the UCLA community.
Bruins can contribute to this year’s campaign starting today (April 7) until April 18. Employees can go online to the UCLA/United Way 2014 website to make a one-time gift or enroll in a payroll deduction plan.
"Programs supported by United Way address the most prominent causes of poverty, and aim to end homelessness, improve educational achievement and build financial stability," wrote Chancellor Gene Block in a letter urging support for this year’s campaign. "United Way also has a veterans' initiative aimed at implementing a community-based strategy to reduce unemployment, poverty and homelessness among Los Angeles County veterans."
Such initiatives dovetail with UCLA’s efforts to assist veterans, which include the UCLA Veterans Work Experience Program. It provides on-the-job training for veterans, who volunteer to work for departments on campus.
Nearly 330,000 veterans live in Los Angeles County, and their numbers are expected to increase as the military continues to downsize.
In 2012, United Way launched a veterans’ initiative aimed at preventing further homelessness through employment, job training and financial education.
Already, there are results. Approximately 6,250 veterans were homeless in 2013, a 23 percent decline since 2011. The UWGLA’s goal is to end veteran homelessness by 2016 and cut post-911 veteran unemployment in half by 2017. 
In addition, UWGLA has an aggressive 10-year plan to combat poverty by decreasing homelessness and improving access to education and jobs. Each year, United Way assists more than 40,000 individuals in these areas.
"The issues of poverty in our community are becoming increasingly visible," wrote Elise Buik, president and CEO of UWGLA in a recent letter to donors. "You have most likely noticed a homeless neighbor sleeping on the sidewalk, [or] driven by a group of children walking on the street after school with nowhere to go, or seen a veteran asking for help on the side of the road.
"As we continue our work to increase the graduation rate and prepare individuals for success in the workplace, we know that poverty will decrease over time," Buik added. "The fight against poverty is a crucial one."
