Roger That - A Podcast Presented by HVAF of Indiana

Homelessness doesn't stop at city limits. Neither does the work to end it. On this edition of Roger That! HVAF CEO Emmy Hildebrand sits down with three Central Indiana mayors to talk about the fight against homelessness in their communities: Kerry Thomson, Mayor of Bloomington Brandon Sakbun, Mayor of Terre Haute Sue Finkam, Mayor of Carmel About HVAF ⁠Helping Veterans And Families (HVAF)⁠ is...

Kicking the Stigma with Brett Kramer! May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we wanted to cap off this important month with Episode 4 of Roger That! Join our host Emmy Hildebrand, as she sits down with Brett Kramer, Director of Kicking the Stigma for the Indianapolis Colts. In this conversation, Brett shares her passion for mental health advocacy and how her personal experiences, combined with...

Welcome to episode three of Roger That! In this episode, host Emmy Hildebrand brings you a powerful conversation with Patrick Garvey, a Navy veteran who shows exactly how military and public service can shape a life and career. Patrick brings you behind the scenes of his remarkable journey through the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and the Navy. You will discover how his 14 years in the U.S. Senate, incl...

Join HVAF CEO Emmy Hildebrand for the second episode of the 2026 season of Roger That! as she sits down with former U.S. Senator and Ambassador Joe Donnelly. Joe Donnelly brings a wealth of insight from decades of public service. Representing Indiana in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, and later serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, he earned a strong reputatio...

Episode #1 - The Journey Home From Vietnam Celebrate Vietnam War Veterans Day with the inaugural episode of Roger That! Join host, HVAF CEO Emmy Hildebrand and special guest Stephen Peck, Marine Corps veteran, former CEO of U.S. VETS, and nationally recognized advocate. This heartfelt conversation explores Steve’s courageous military service during the Vietnam War, the challenges of transitioning...

On today's episode, we are joined by Olen, from CRC, and HVAF CEO Emmy Hildebrand to discuss exciting updates on the progress of the Manchester apartment reconstruction project. We’ll share details about the upcoming open house event and highlight the incredible power of community that has brought this project to life. Tune in to hear how your support is transforming spaces and creating homes...

Welcome back to another edition of Roger That - A podcast hosted by HVAF. In today's episode, we sit down with Army veteran Wesley, who shares his deeply inspiring story of hope, resilience, and recovery. After joining the Army right out of high school, Wesley faced significant challenges transitioning back to civilian life. He and his family experienced homelessness, struggling to find stabil...

In today's episode, join HVAF Case Manager Anne, her client Ben, a purple heart Army Veteran, and his wife Brittany, for a story of hardship, hope, and recovery. Hear how Ben and his family found stability thanks to support from HVAF, and how a once-in-a-lifetime donation completely changed their lives!

In today's epsiode of Roger That, we’re spotlighting Army and National Guard veteran Gibby, whose resilience shines through despite battling home insecurity and health issues. With support from HVAF’s housing program and our dedicated healthcare navigator Lucy, Gibby regained stability and confidence. Lucy’s efforts, including finding and coordinating dental care, helped Gibby get a full set o...

On this episode of Roger That, we are joined by Lauren Mardis, our Rapid Rehousing Coordinator here at HVAF, and recap our 12 Veterans of Christmas from 2024. It has been an honor to serve our veterans, and we are so excited to highlight some of their stories! Donate | HVAF

In this episode of "Roger That," we are thrilled to share the incredible journeys of two inspiring veterans, James and Tommy. These remarkable individuals have overcome the challenges of homelessness and have embarked on the path to success with the support of HVAF. Join us as we share their stories of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of community. Discover how James and Tom...

Welcome to Roger That , a podcast presented by HVAF, where we share powerful stories and meaningful conversations about how HVAF is working to end veteran homelessness and how you can join us in our mission. Today we have a very special episode in honor of Giving Tuesday. We’ll hear the courageous firsthand accounts of three IFD firefighters—Battalion Chief Dave Cook, Captain David Richards, and P...

In this episode of Roger That, we bring you two heartfelt conversations from the heart of our HVAF Family. Listen as Emmy, HVAF's CEO, shares insights and her perspective and emotions from the night of the fire. We also hear from Crystal, one of the courageous veterans displaced by the fire. Through their stories, discover the power of community support and the unwavering spirit of our Hoosier Her...

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, also referred to as Intimate Partner Violence, which serves as a call to action to end domestic violence in our communities. This awareness campaign is designed to educate, destigmatize, and empower survivors. We stand with survivors and are committed to ensuring they are safely housed and provided necessary support to maintain their housing. On today’...

It’s October, which means it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. So chances are, you know at least one person who has been personally affected by breast cancer. But there is hope. The National Breast Cancer Foundation says when caught in its earliest, localized s...

In today’s episode of Roger That, I’m sharing with you all more about CHIP – which stands for Coalition of Homelessness Intervention and Prevention. CHIP mobilizes, advocates, and empowers community collaboration toward ending homelessness and fosters an effective system of homelessness prevention and intervention in the greater Indianapolis area. One effort CHIP leads is the Point In Time Count –...

HVAF’s food, clothing, and hygiene pantry is open for veterans on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Before COVID, we were seeing around 100 veterans per month. Now, we’re seeing more than double, with a record high in July of 258 veterans. As we see an increase in visits, donations to our pantry are more critical than ever before. Thankfully, we have many partners around the communi...

If you’ve been to the grocery store lately, you’ve likely experienced a little sticker shock at the cash register. Or maybe you’ve been stressed about affording rent due to cost of living going up, or deciding to hold off on buying a home due to the record highs for interest rates. We’ve all experienced the struggles of inflation these last few years, and it’s affected us all in different ways. Fo...

If you’ve ever visited HVAF, then I’m sure you’ve met Katie. She is the first face and smile you see when you visit, as she is our Community Center Specialist. Katie helps oversee our Community Center – including our food, clothing, and hygiene pantry – which is open for veterans on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She has been on Team HVAF for 13 years! And on today’s episode, you’ll see why she’s been he...

HVAF is a housing-first organization, that provides so many programs and services to help end veteran homelessness. But what are those programs? You’ll find out about some of those programs today on Roger That, as you’ll meet HVAF Permanent Housing Director Danny. Danny has been with us for 6 years now and has lots to share on our we provide permanent housing and rent & utility assistance to 2...

Today on Roger That, you get to meet the one, the only Fred Young. Everyone here on #TeamHVAF knows and adores Fred, and after this episode, I know you will too. He struggled with alcoholism before and after his time in the military, and even experienced homelessness here in Indianapolis for 5 years. But thankfully, this last April, he celebrated 24 years of sobriety! Now, not only does he serve h...

A few episodes ago, we shared about our legislative efforts to try to make it illegal for landlords to deny veterans using vouchers for their housing. On that episode, we spoke with Amy Nelson, Executive Director of Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana. Amy came to Indiana in 2011 to be the first Executive Director of Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, as it was founded the same year. On th...

A few episodes ago, I shared about our legislative efforts to try to make it illegal for landlords to deny veterans using vouchers for their housing. On that episode, I spoke with State Representative Renee Pack. But when I spoke with her on HB 1087, she shared a lot of her life story with me and when I heard from her, I knew I needed to share more of her story with you guys. SHOW NOTES: Podcast q...

May is Military Spouse Appreciation Month. According to The United States Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce, there are 12.2 million military spouses, including the spouse of a veteran or currently serving member of the U.S. Armed Forces. And 3 of the 12 million + spouses work here at HVAF! Not only do these women serve our veterans on a daily basis in their roles at HVAF, but they have taken the...

It’s May, which means it’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Join us as we talk with HVAF’s therapist, Kascha, and one of the veterans who sees her, Darian. SHOW NOTES: Podcast questions? Topic ideas? E-mail Lauren:  LVCarpenter@hvaf.org Sign up to receive our e-mails:  https://hvafofindiana.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=84c1e98757e710e154ef48517&id=35b0d23a76  Follow us on social media:  @hva...