The Salvation Army Haven: Brentwood School’s Approach to Community Partnerships

Monday, April 23: I am standing near the door as a line of men and women eagerly shuffle into the common room of The Salvation Army Haven. The room is packed with rows of chairs, which they slip into rather demurely, a few jostling and joking with one another much like my students entering the classroom. Some, like Manny and Drew, recognize me and greet me heartily with a smile and a “Hey, how you doin’?†or “Good to see you!†They are assembling for a World Book Night event, which several Brentwood School parents and students have helped to organize to celebrate the opening of a new residential library for the veterans. At the front of the room, tables are brimming with an enticing array of desserts and artful displays of notable books—some donated by families, the Brentwood School library, and even local bookstores—all freely made available to the veterans, along with complimentary, handmade book markers designed by Brentwood School kindergarteners and elementary-age students. Only an hour earlier, Brentwood high school students were amassed here, setting up the chairs and carting in the last of the donated books that now carefully line the tables and shelves of this inaugural library.
The evening’s event marks the pinnacle of a year-long partnership between Brentwood School and The Haven, a residential treatment program at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center (VAHC). The Haven was started in 1994 as an emergency housing program for veterans and caters to the needs of veterans, many of whom face a complex set of obstacles. At the core of this community partnership is the 9th Grade Service Learning Project, which is part of the students’ curriculum dealing with mental health issues, and the “Poverty and Privilege†unit in Human Development classes. Each semester, the students in these classes volunteer in one of The Haven’s four residential kitchens, serving dinner to these previously homeless veterans, most of whom are struggling to overcome substance abuse, mental trauma, or other physical and mental disabilities. As part of the students’ pre-service education, a representative from The Haven visits Human Development classes beforehand to discuss some of the mental health issues, such as Post-Traumatic Stress (PST) and substance abuse, in preparation for the students’ work with the veterans.
Describing what he remembered most about this learning component, 9th grader Blake L. recalled, “The woman showed us the two pictures: one of a man who looked homeless and really dirty and then another of a young soldier in Afghanistan, and it was really sad to find they were the same person.â€
The direct service and personal interactions with veterans are the most impactful parts of the experience. Once at the VA, students split into smaller groups of three and four with a faculty chaperone and serve food in one of the kitchens alongside more abled veterans, like Manny and Drew, who are participating in a work study program at The Haven. “I was most impressed with the staff,†explained one student, “I thought they would be hard and tough, but they were surprisingly easy-going and helpful.â€
After serving the veterans dinner on the line, the students distribute desserts—a treat the residents don’t typically receive. The interaction provides a more intimate opportunity to visit with the veterans at each table. Describing her impressions of the experience, 9th grader Naomi M. echoed the sentiments of other peers: “I thought it was really uplifting how everyone was so funny and positive when we sat and talked with them, even though they were in such a tough situation. I went to the women’s corridor to help serve and everyone was so nice and had such a good attitude.†Following the experience, students like Naomi have inquired about future opportunities to return to The Haven to volunteer.
On this special Monday night, the room is at standing-room-only capacity by the time Brentwood parent Kathleen Reiss introduces the featured speaker, Emmy award-winning writer and producer Howard Gordon (X Files, 24, Homeland), who is here to talk with the veterans and sign free copies of his books. The excitement is palpable as Gordon speaks of his experience working with military and law enforcement agents on past projects. At one point, a wiry hand goes up and a middle- aged vet asks Gordon how he got his start as a screenwriter. Gordon explains that he came out to California after college and took a job as a SAT tutor. Then a flash of recognition lights his face: “At Brentwood School!†he exclaims, looking eagerly around the room at the Brentwood parents and me. “School Administrator, Dave Velasquez, in fact, introduced me to a Brentwood parent in the ‘business’, and after reading one of my treatments he hired me on to my first project…†As I survey the rich selection of pastries and cakes, coupled with the many books made available tonight, I am struck by the layers of compassion and engagement at work here, and the meaningful impact they have had on the lives of these men and women.
In developing programs for service learning and civic engagement at Brentwood School, we are looking locally at the needs closest to us by serving the veterans and homeless in our own neighborhood. Our community partnership with The Salvation Army Haven provides a meaningful model of civic engagement and service at its finest because it engages every aspect of the school community—students, teachers, and parents—collaborating to create something multifaceted and deeply impactful for the veterans in residence there and, in turn, for our own students.