HEBRON – When Alan Belcher realized how many homeless veterans there were in the U.S., he wanted to help.

The Vietnam combat veteran and licensed counselor founded TLS Veterans, or Transitional Living Services, in 1996 with a mission of transforming the lives of those who have served.

“When it first started out there was nothing,” Belcher said. “There were just people that had a common interest and a passion for helping veterans.”

Twenty years later, the nonprofit assists veterans and their families through programs, including its New Horizons Transitional Living home in Hebron and Peer Support Group run through its McHenry drop-in center, 5330 Elm St.

There were more than 47,000 homeless veterans in the U.S. in 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and every veteran living at New Horizons was once part of that statistic.

The transitional living home opened in 2001 at 10513 Route 47 and can hold 20 people, said Mark Schlitt, clinical physiologist and New Horizons director.

“I’m really focused on just doing excellent treatment and just having the person transition from here, because this is just a bridge,” Schlitt said.

New Horizons has about 35 to 40 veterans living there a year, Schlitt said, and while there is no limit on how long they can stay, most are out in two years or less.

Schlitt described the home as a “one-stop shop,” where veterans can receive food, shelter, clothes, job search assistance, mental health and financial counseling and transportation. Everyone at the facility also must work, go to school or volunteer, he said.

Some residents, including 95-year-old J.F. Wilson, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946, are just using the space as a quick stop before they can find a new home. Others, such as 47-year-old Don Andrews, don’t set a deadline on when they hope to be out.

Andrews served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1987 to 1991, and said he first became homeless about 20 years ago.

“I was able to keep myself fed, but that’s about it,” Andrews said of years working in food service as a dishwasher and other positions.

It wasn’t until about six months ago that he came to New Horizons, when he started working at the TLS McHenry office and with an online sales job.

Fifty-year-old Patrick Hannon has lived at New Horizons since July. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1985 to 1991.

Hannon bounced around from job to job after he left the military, and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, he said. The hardest part of transitioning for him was the camaraderie with fellow Marines.

“I mean you live with each other constantly, you’re with each other, but you get out and it’s like, I felt lost,” Hannon said.

Navigating the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs system can be difficult, Hannon said, and the military and veterans affairs do not do a good job telling veterans what services are available for them once they’re out.

The difficulty of reintegrating is common among veterans, TLS Executive Director Laura Franz said, and some don’t have enough support to help them through their challenges.

“So it can be as simple as food and clothing, or they may need jobs, may need people to help them navigate the VA system, they need other veterans to talk to,” Franz said. “Whatever that need is, we’re a spot that they can come to and we’ll help them figure it out.”

Hannon said one way he’s changed through his time at New Horizons is he doesn’t bottle up his problems anymore until he explodes. Instead, he has Schlitt and others to talk to.

“If it wasn’t for this place I’d be in a lot of trouble. I’d be in a lot of trouble,” Hannon said. “This place probably saved my life.”

Hearing realizations such as Hannon’s motivates Franz to want to keep doing more for the veterans, and let people know about the services TLS offers, she said.

Financially, TLS and New Horizons are supported by grants and donations from organizations including the VA, HUD, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legions and people in the community, Franz said, and they are always looking for donations and volunteers.

To celebrate its 20 years in the community, TLS will hold a gala from 6 to 10 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Dole Mansion at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Tickets can be purchased at tlsveterans.org/tls-events or by calling the TLS office at 815-679-6667.

For information on TLS and other events, visit its Facebook page.