Dear Friend,
Veterans Day reminds us of the tremendous debt we owe to the men and women who have served our country with courage and conviction. For the thousands of veterans whom Jericho Project has supported over the last two decades, this gratitude is reflected not only in our words but in our actions – providing safe, affordable housing, employment support, and mental health services so they can rebuild their lives with dignity and stability.
Each year, Jericho Project serves nearly 700 veterans through our Veterans Initiative, a network of programs designed to ensure that no one who has worn our nation’s uniform is left without a home or a path forward. As we mark Veterans Day this year, we share the story of Thomas Scazzafavo, a U.S. Navy veteran and Jericho Project Board Member, whose experience exemplifies the resilience and sense of duty shared by so many in our community.
Tom began his service through ROTC at George Washington University and went on to serve seven years as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. During his time on active duty, he led numerous missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, including over 130 maritime interception operations aimed at preventing terrorism, piracy, and smuggling in the Middle East. Today, Tom leads Global Financial Crimes Compliance Managed Services at Ernst & Young and serves as the Leader of EY’s Veterans Network in the New York area.
Reflecting on his service, Tom recalls the responsibility of steering a guided-missile destroyer through the Pacific while hundreds slept on board, and navigating the U.S. Seventh Fleet’s flagship through joint operations from Japan. “Veterans have shouldered more responsibility than most people ever have to,” he says. “Yet I know many who didn’t have a support system when they returned home – some ended up without a home at all.”
That reality is what drew Tom to Jericho Project. “Veterans do not want pity,” he emphasizes. “They want the self-sufficiency that comes from meaningful work and support toward their goals. Veterans want a hand-up, not a hand-out. That is why Jericho is so successful.”
His words capture the essence of our mission. Since launching our Veterans Initiative in 2007, Jericho has become one of the premier veteran service organizations in the country. Through three veteran specific supportive housing residences, our Veterans Employment Program (JVEP), dedicated clinical care and discharge status upgrade assistance, and our Housing Access portfolio – including the federally funded Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program that prevents homelessness and rapidly rehouses veteran households – we help veterans regain their footing, reconnect with community, and restore a sense of purpose. Behind every success story are donors and supporters who make this work possible.
As Tom puts it, “We were all equal in the stress of war, and now it’s important for me to have the backs of those who had mine.” This Veterans Day, we ask you to stand with Tom – and with Jericho’s veterans – by making a gift to support the programs that change lives every day.
Your contribution ensures that veterans across New York City have a place to call home, access to meaningful employment, and the care they need to thrive. You can make your donation today by clicking here or by scanning the QR code below.
Thank you for honoring our nation’s heroes and for being a vital part of the Jericho Project family.
With gratitude,
Tori Lyon,
Chief Executive Officer
Scan to Donate
