History
Rhonda F. Harris founded The Veterans Resource Program in 2011 in honor of her late father, Harry L. Williams, a wounded Korean War Veteran. The VRP was incorporated in August of 2013 and became a certified 501(c)(3) in August of 2014. The VRP owns a fully furnished home in Richmond, California, which provides housing to veterans of all branches who may need short or long-term accomodations.
Vision
The ultimate vision of the VRP is to provide a wide variety of services for veterans, including transitional and permanent housing for veterans, employment placement, higher education opportunities, and resources that address veterans' needs. VRP's goal is to locate, renovate, and occupy other properties for military veterans. The benefits of the VRP facility can be continued to other parts of the Bay Area, providing a safe haven and community for more of our nation's veterans. In the future, we also look to address the emotional and mental health needs of veterans through in-house classes and counseling.
Mission
Our mission is to provide a clean, safe living enviroment for veterans who may be homeless, formely incarcerated, returning home from the military, and for those who are looking for stability and want to reunite with their families. The Veterans Resource Program enhances the well-being of our men and women veterans who have risked their lives for our country. We help them regain their dignity, move them onto a path of wholeness and restoration where they can dream again and rejoin society. We honor them and help them develop a health consciousness and provide opportunities for higher learning and employment.
The Veterans Resource Program (VRP) is a 501(c)(3) with a dual objective: to provide transitional housing to help Bay Area veterans get back on their feet and to serve as an information and resource center to veterans.
Board of Directors
Rhonda F. Harris, Founder
As a member of a military family, Ms. Harris began serving homeless veterans before it became the right thing to do. In honor of her late father, a wounded Korean veteran, she founded the Veterans Resource Program (VRP) in 2011 to assist veterans with housing, applying for benefits, and higher educational opportunities to help them transition back into society through gainful employment. The veterans are provided information about available resources, the latest VA programs and assistance in filing and following up on disability compensation and pension claims to help with their immediate and future needs.
Rhonda F. Harris, CEO of R.F. & Associates, Inc. (RFA), a full service development and consulting firm, established in 2000. RFA acted as a catalyst for community revitalization in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area’s urban areas. With a portfolio of $ 10 million in business activity, RFA constructed single family homes and purchased and renovated distressed properties, to provide housing and neighborhood safety. Addressing issues of inequality affecting local small business contractors, she established the Contractor’s Alliance of Richmond (CAR) in 2005, comprised of fifteen locally owned businesses specializing in the building trades. To address the high unemployment rate and the lack of training in the building trades, she co-founded the Richmond Community Based Employment Collaborative (CBEC) in 2008. CBEC provided services to underserved youth and young adults who are actively involved in gangs, drugs, and gun violence or who are at-risk for these types of activities with Program Readiness/Job Readiness Skills Training and placement.
In 2011, RFA teamed up with the San Francisco Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mental Health Services and developed a partnership to provide homeless veterans enrolled in the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) treatment program with housing services. Harris serves in the California State Army Military Reserves as a Sergeant. She is a 2013 Jefferson Award recipient; MEA Magazine Award, 25 Influential Women in Business; earned a Certification as a Drug and Alcohol Counselor from Mt. Diablo Valley College; Financial Officer for the American Legion, Cesar Chavez Post 505; and a member of Veterans Healing Veterans from the Inside Out Group in San Quentin Prison.
Aminta Mickles
Aminta Mickles has over 25 years of service and experience in the Education and Behavioral Health field. She is from the San Francisco Bay Area and is currently a full time tenured faculty at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, California. She serves as the Department Chair for the Health and Human Services department, while also serving as the United Faculty Vice President of the United Faculty Union. Ms. Mickles demonstrates her love of education by working in the Human Services certificated programs, mentoring students in the department, Puente Project and the African American Staff Association. It has always been instilled in her to value education, treat it with respect and honor. She has developed and received funding to coordinate the only Peer Support Clinic, in the Bay Area Community Colleges, for a mental health/addictions/peer supported clinic on campus. She recently collaborated with consumer mental health and developed classes for SPIRIT on campus.
Ms. Mickles also provides quality education to young and older adult populations. Developed curriculum for classes: Introduction to Dual Disorders, Substance Abuse Counseling and Health and Human Services, Personal Development for Life and Work, Multiculturalism, Case Management, Ethics, Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention, Human Services and Psychosocial Rehabilitation.
Will Delaney
Will Delaney is a US Marine Corps veteran who while serving in South Viet-Nam earned a Commendation Medal with a Star. After his release from active duty at Camp Pendleton in 1967, Will moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1971, as a creative writing student at San Francisco Junior College, Will learned the basics of chess and mastered it with ease as he could quickly apply his strategic military training to the logistics of the game. Will’s chess game was elevated to the competition level via his friends and worthy opponents. Playing in UCSF rated tournaments from 1972 through 1991, (United States Chess Federation) allowed him to obtain a top rating of 2163; Expert. As one of the developers of the Greater Richmond Chess Association (GRCA), Will sought to share his love of the game with people of all ages. In 1981 he became its first Chess Club Champion. Will remains a vital and inspirational influence in our East Bay area communities.
“With regards for the principles of service and sacrifice, it is my goal to be a positive influence in my community and beyond.”
Carl Alexander
Mr. Alexander has over 30-years of experience in the (ICT) Information Communications and Technology sector having worked at Morgan Stanley; Visa International; Kaiser Permanente; Alameda County; San Francisco Sheriffs Department; Sprint; Bank of America; Federal Reserve Bank, and in the Educational sector with Leadership High School and Emery High School. Mr. Alexander also is the co-founder of BayViewTech, LLC currently working on the design and implementation of a new Technology Infrastructure build-out for a progressive Non-Profit Organization.