Hero Center, Inc.
Our Mission
Hero Center
Are you going to be the hero of your own life or are you going to leave that role for someone else?
Seriously ask yourself, If not you, then who?
Epiphanies can come in strange ways.
A while ago I started to wonder about life as a Hero’s journey. I suspect being your own hero might have something to do with becoming your own champion, developing your strengths and being kinder and braver than ever before.
It wasn’t until I personally hit rock bottom in my life —a constant reminder of who I was, where I was, the PTSD, and the nightmares that a deeper understanding of being the hero of my own life dawned on me.
I understand that we don’t actually know how strong we are until we face our demons.
Rather than wait for life to inevitably test us with these hardships, we can save a lot of time and pain by learning to be our own hero, in good times as well as bad.
Own Your Choices.
However painful, mistake-ridden dirty and moth-eaten life might feel, start by owning where you’re at and acknowledging the choices that helped get you there. It’s the way to begin to make better choices to get you to a better place.
Once you admit your weaknesses and mistakes in a kind way, at least to yourself, you can plan to move on from them rather than staying in an unpleasant situation. You can end the dirty little secret of beating yourself up with self-criticism and digging a deeper hole into shame and self-pity.
Speak And Be Kind To Yourself.
When you try to help another person you probably don’t start with being critical of them, about everything they’ve done wrong or aren’t good at. They wouldn’t find that very supportive. So why would you?
Yet, so often we speak harshly to ourselves in our own minds, despite it being a lousy strategy for self-growth and building self-esteem.
Being your own hero means stepping in when critical self-talk and negative spirals of thinking are starting up in your head. It means standing up for yourself and saying, Enough… this isn’t helpful!
Back Off Criticism.
Instead, let’s focus on our strengths and what we CAN do.
Become mindful of your inner self..
You need to listen to how you speak to yourself in order to step in and do it better. Listen to your inner self and get to know how kindly or unkindly you treat yourself every day.
The Hero in you isn’t going to stand for anymore self-bullying!
Rewrite Your Stories Of Adversity.
This is the making of you as your own hero —rewriting, not of WHAT has happened to you in your life, but of the MEANINGS you draw from things that have happened.
All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story or tell a story about them.
Your stories of lossless, failings and hurting can become inspirational reminders to you of your resilience and survival. Focus on the strengths and wisdoms that have grown in you through the difficulties you’ve faced.
The very essence of bringing out the hero in you is re-framing adversities you’ve faced as the battles you have survived.
Take Pride In Your Resilience.
Find Your Flow!
Our greatest strengths and personal superpowers are often found in those things we’re good at, and that we enjoy — our flow. The places in life in which we find flow are reinvigorating in difficult times and build us up in good times.
My flow is in offering support and helping people. I’ve turned to helping support others when I needed to find my own self worth, clarity, enjoyment and to be creative in providing solutions.
Your places of flow, whether they be sports, arts, travels, nature or something else, feed the hero part of yourself. Flow gives you purpose and meaning to strive or survive another day.
Do What You Say You’re Going To Do.
Finally, being your own hero means calling yourself out (kindly but fairly) on your own BS when necessary.
The part of you that wants the best for you. You won’t put up with self-defeating or soul-sucking talk and habits anymore. Being your own hero means showing yourself real love by developing your own values and staying true to any commitments you’ve made to yourself.
Do what you say you’re going to do and feel proud of yourself and confident in your character. In the end, heroes are all about intention, consistency and compassion.
Heroes have always faced pain and struggles in their past, and each have their own weaknesses. Realistically, being your own hero is about being your own unshakably loyal friend, not about being superhuman. It’s about choosing to rise from experiences and live each day compassionately — starting with yourself
Today starts with YOU...Today is your new beginning to be your own Hero.
Active military and veterans fight for our country everyday, we welcome them with love and support. The Hero Center serves, supports, and strengthens veterans with programs, services, events and resources. We house veterans in a community of peers, hosting activities, and providing access to professional resources in a peaceful and nurturing environment. This helps our service men/women to become the Heroes they are.
Because WE believe in the Hero in you.
What We Offer At Hero Center
- Safe Housing
- Weapon Free Center
- Drug Free Center
- Mentorship
- Life Coping Skills
- Life Skills Training
- Trauma Informed Care including, PTSD & De-escalation
- 24 Hour On-Call Support
- Personal Well Being Support
- Emotional Support
- Connecting Veterans To Appropriate Services and Organizations
- Personal Lockers/Safes
- 24 Hour On-Site Resident Manager
- Approved Guests Allowed From 8am-8pm, No Overnight Adult Guests
- Children Of Veterans Allowed Overnight With Prior Approval
- Outdoor Activities On and Off Site
- No Pets Allowed; exception of a service animal
The rural location of Hero Center, offers a safe haven for veterans to spend quiet time by themselves or around other veterans who are undergoing similar experiences:
A True Peer to Peer Safe Haven.
We are undergoing renovations in phases to provide immediate housing for up to 8 veterans and an on site manager. Our goal over time is to provide housing for to up to 12 veterans, 2 couples/families and an on-site manager.
Upon completion of Phase One, Hero Center has ambitious plans to implement renovation Phases 2 and 3 over the next year that will help many veterans transition into healthy, productive lives.
Hero Center will offer veterans shelter, food, counseling for them and their loved ones, access to education, vocational training, job placement, health care and transportation to veteran health care and activities.
Tragically, the challenges that many of our returning heroes face are staggering:
- Alcoholism and drug addiction are at epidemic levels.
- The divorce rate of veterans has gone up over 42% since 9/11.
- The bureaucracy veterans face in getting benefits and care is unacceptable.
- One veteran commits suicide every 36 hours, with many more attempted suicides.
Our heroes deserve better!!
Who Hero Center Supports
All veterans who seek housing at Hero Center will be vetted and verified by the Veterans Administration and their DD-214.
We will accept:
- Honorable Discharge
- General Discharge Under Honorable Conditions
- Medical Separation
We will NOT accept:
- Bad Conduct discharge (issued by special court-martial or general court-martial)
- Dishonorable discharge
- Entry-level Separation
- Separation for Convenience of the Government
- Any One Whose Registered On State Or Federal Sex Offender Registry
- Any One With A Violent Criminal History
Hero Center IS NOT a homeless shelter.
- All residents will have an application process and a lease.
- All residents who have a HUD-VASH voucher are considered Homeless through HUD definition; https://www.va.gov/homeless/hud-vash_eligibility.asp
Hero Center IS NOT an AODA or Rehabilitation Center.
Hero Center IS a Permanent Supportive Housing Center, these are Veterans who need a place to call home.
Hero Center Support & General Information
- Hero Center Veterans are allowed personnel vehicles on site; all vehicles must be registered, insured and in operable condition.
- Additional Transportation Support:
- MTM - Medical Transportation Management
- RSVP - Provide Rides to Medical Appointments.
- The primary focus of the program, which serves all of Dane County, is to provide rides to Veterans and their families who need transportation to medical appointments and other important meetings.
- Additional Community and Organization Supports
- Dane County Veterans Services Office
- Veterans Administration Support
- HUD-VASH Voucher Assistance
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital Support
- Madison Vet Center Support
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- DryHootch Support - Peer To Peer Support
- Local VFW, American Legions, Sons Of The American Legion,etc
- Wisconsin Veterans Court Initiative
- Utilizing Make The Connection Resources Guide
This is what the Hero Center is about and what we plan to do.
Veterans Fought for Our Homes. We’ll Fight for Theirs…
Hero Center Helping a Hero Be Their Own Hero!
Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns:
We pride ourselves on actively listening to our communities and those we serve.