Melanie has worn many hats throughout her life and career—aviation structural mechanic, public education worker, civil servant, and now, Director of Operations at The National Veterans Foundation. Her journey has been marked by both triumphs and trials, and along the way, Goodwill of Orange County’s Tierney Center for Veteran Services has played a meaningful role in her progress.
“I served in the Navy from 2005 to 2010,” Melanie shares. “I was with Patrol Squadron Ten and completed two deployments—one to WESTPAC and another to Qatar.” After her military service, she transitioned into public education, civil service, and veteran social services. Alongside her professional pursuits, Melanie also explored her creative side as a background actor in both big and small productions.
However, in 2022, her life took an unexpected turn. Her role shifted from helping veterans to becoming someone in need of help herself.
“A medical situation involving an elderly family member came up,” she explains. “I became the one responsible for making sure they got the best care possible. My career took a hit, and by the summer of 2024, I was homeless.”
Despite her best efforts to maintain stability, Melanie and her fiancé found themselves sleeping in their car.
That’s when she turned to the Tierney Center for support. “I first heard about the Tierney Center back in 2016 or 2017,” she recalls. “But it wasn’t until I needed help myself that I truly understood the impact they make.”
The Tierney Center for Veteran Services, the first comprehensive resource center for veterans in Orange County, offers wraparound, co-located services in a single location. It has since become a national model for veteran support.
With just one online request form, Melanie was connected with Stacy from the Tierney Center team. Stacy, who also came from the aviation community, immediately made Melanie feel comfortable and heard.
“A lot of the veterans don’t know about the resources that are available in the community,” Stacy shared. “It’s great because the Tierney Center is a one-stop shop. As they talk to us, we gather information to determine the support we can provide.”
Thanks to the Tierney Center’s services, Melanie found a safe place to stay. Not only did she receive emergency services support to get her into immediate housing, but also support and assistance to apply for long-term, sustainable housing.
“I’m happy to report that I did get approved for the longer-term housing assistance,” she said with relief.
Emergency financial assistance and food pantry services helped Melanie and her fiancé avoid prolonged hardship—they only spent two nights in their car. For six months, the pantry’s food supplemented their meals, allowing them to focus their limited funds on housing and other essentials.
“The food pantry helped keep our household fed and, more importantly, the Tierney Center gave us a safe place to land when we needed it most,” Melanie said.
Goodwill OC’s Tierney Center for Veteran Services has been a vital part of Melanie’s story. Today, she’s back on her feet, continuing her mission to serve others. With long-term housing secured and her passion reignited, Melanie is once again leading with purpose—this time, with even deeper empathy and strength.
To learn more about the Tierney Center for Veteran Services, visit https://tierneycenter.org/.
