Central Florida nonprofit provides veteran support services, resources
Mission United at Heart of Florida United Way serves U.S. veterans and their families through streamlined, community networks.
UPDATES. TODAY IS VETERANS DAY AND A LOCAL NONPROFIT, STEPPING UP TO HONOR AND HELP VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. IT’S CALLED MISSION UNITED. THIS SUPPORTS THOUSANDS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO’VE RISKED THEIR LIVES TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY, HELPING ADVANCE THE MISSION. AND JOINING US NOW IS HEART OF FLORIDA, UNITED WAY VETERANS PROGRAM MANAGER NORRIS HENDERSON. GREAT TO SEE YOU, NORRIS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, NORRIS. WE’RE SO GLAD YOU’RE WITH US. AND FIRST WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. YOU TOO ARE A VETERAN. YOU’VE DEDICATED 20 YEARS TO THE US MARINE CORPS. ABSOLUTELY. 20 YEARS. UNBELIEVABLE CAREER. MILITARY. WE LOVE THAT. YES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND TO ALL OF OUR VETERANS. WE SAY THAT TODAY. SO LET’S MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT MISSION UNITED. WHAT IS IT AND HOW DID YOU END UP ON THIS JOURNEY TO THE ORGANIZATION? ABSOLUTELY. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT MISSION UNITED IS. IT’S A VETERAN INITIATIVE PROGRAM AT HEART OF FLORIDA UNITED WAY. WE CONNECT VETERANS WITH DIFFERENT RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE FOCUS ON EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND LEGAL SERVICES. NOT ONLY DO WE CONNECT THEM, WE TRACK THE TRACK, THE VETERANS RESOURCE, MAKE SURE THEY GET THE RESOURCES THAT THEY’RE SEEKING. AND WE ADVOCATE ON THEIR BEHALF. WE CONNECT THEM WITH MANY DIFFERENT PARTNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT’S A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND I COME FROM A MILITARY FAMILY. NORRIS I KNOW THERE’S SO MUCH SOMETIMES OUR VETS NEED, WHETHER IT’S FOOD, HOUSING, HELPING TO GET INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR WITH DIFFERENT JOBS. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW TO OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS? ABSOLUTELY. A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS ONE IS CALLED UNITED EMPLOYABILITY SCHOLARSHIP FUND. THIS PROGRAM ASSISTS VETERANS WITH PAYING FOR CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSING AT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES. IT ALSO ASSISTS VETERANS WITH PAYING FOR UNIFORMS AND TOOLS THAT MAY THEY MAY NEED TO SUSTAIN EMPLOYMENT AS WELL. SO THAT’S ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE. ANOTHER PROGRAM IS THE FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES KNOWLEDGE TO VETERANS ABOUT DEBT MANAGEMENT, BUDGETING, CREDIT REPAIR, FRAUD, SCAMS, AND HOW TO PURCHASE HOMES USING A VA HOME LOAN. YEAH, VERY IMPORTANT THINGS. AND AS WE LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, WELL, MAYBE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I’M GOING TO TAKE PART IN BECAUSE I’M NOT A VETERAN. YOU DO NEED COMMUNITY SUPPORT. THAT’S WHAT’S MAKING ALL THIS POSSIBLE. HOW CAN ALL OF US GET INVOLVED? ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE A GREAT WEBSITE. ANYONE THAT WANTS TO GET INVOLVED AND GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT. YOU CAN DONATE. YOU CAN VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME. AND EVERYTHING IS HERE ON OUR WEBSITE. SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF SERVICES FOR PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED. YOU KNOW, NORRIS, WE ARE AT THE POINT RIGHT NOW WHERE SOME FOLKS ARE FALLING ON SOME PRETTY HARD TIMES. WE’RE SEEING RISING COSTS WITH EVERYTHING. SO IF YOU COULD REACH THROUGH THE TV SCREEN AND SAY TO SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, WE THIS IS A WAY YOU CAN SUPPORT US, THAT ALL CALL TO HELP OUT. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO EVERYBODY? YES, I WOULD SAY IS THERE A IS THERE A VETERAN IN NEED THAT CAN CALL OUR 211 OPERATOR. WE HAVE A CASE MANAGER THAT WILL REACH OUT TO THE VETERAN AND FIND OUT WHAT RESOURCES THEY NEED. AGAIN, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO REACH OUT AND GET INVOLVED AND DONATE, THEY CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE. WE’RE JUST HERE TO REACH OUT AND HELP THE VETERANS HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. WE JUST RECENTLY CELEBRATED OUR TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY MISSION. UNITED DID, SO WE’RE JUST EXCITED TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR VETERANS HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN’T SAY HAPPY VETERANS DAY TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT HAVE SERVED. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR SACRIFICE. AND TO YOU TOO, NORRIS HENDERSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND SHARING ABOUT MISSION UNITED. WE’RE POSTING A LINK TO ALL THIS INFORMATION O
Central Florida nonprofit provides veteran support services, resources
Mission United at Heart of Florida United Way serves U.S. veterans and their families through streamlined, community networks.
Updated: 9:31 AM EST Nov 11, 2025
Mission United at Heart of Florida United Way serves United States veterans and their families through streamlined, community support networks and services. Veterans program manager Norris Henderson joins WESH 2 to share details about the organization’s specialized resources. Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Mission United at Heart of Florida United Way serves United States veterans and their families through streamlined, community support networks and services.
Veterans program manager Norris Henderson joins WESH 2 to share details about the organization’s specialized resources.
Click here to learn more.