Sue Gauthier and Sarah Bender, owners of The Cottage clothing boutique in Severna Park, plan to open their second location in Annapolis on Saturday, The Cottage on Main.
Veteran gets back on his feet, thanks to HUD-VASH and the Biloxi VA
When Army OIF Veteran Casey Gauthier entered the Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 2017, he was homeless. He had a small income, no job, numerous legal issues, and he was estranged from his family. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had contributed to substance abuse problems, which ultimately led to a need for special psychiatric care before entering HUD-VASH.
HUD-VASH is a collaborative program that combines HUD housing vouchers with VA supportive services to help Veterans who are homeless.
When Gauthier was admitted to the program, he was connected with Kamero Haverstic, who became his HUD-VASH case manager. Gauthier’s acceptance into the program – while he was still receiving psychiatric care – helped kick-start a turnaround in his life. He was immediately rehoused in a location where he felt he could remain sober and focus on getting bet