Derrick Williams: Hey, what's going on, everybody? I'd to welcome you to another episode of the Just Keep Showing Up podcast. This is your man Derek, and today I am here with Jennifer Travers. I say that right. Yes, from CHEP. Yes, I got that right too. Yes. Yes. How are you doing today?
Jennifer: You did! That's right. Yes, you did. I am doing wonderful. Thank you so much, Derek, for having me. Such an honor to be on this podcast.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yes, I'm very excited about this. As we were talking right before we started, this is the first time I'm actually talking to someone that has an organization that I'm very, ⁓ what we're going to talk about is something that's near and dear to me. ⁓ So, folks will definitely hear about all that stuff. So, ⁓ going to jump right into it. So, can you share, can you share a little bit about yourself, ⁓ so the people know who's talking to them?
Jennifer: I'm ready. Sure, my name again is Jennifer Travers. I am the COO for CHEP and CHEP stands for Communities Helping and Empower Patriots. are our veterans mission. I've been with the organization for 18 years. So I this. ⁓
Derrick Williams: Yeah. Yes, yes. So for anybody that don't know anything about CHIP, but they go on the website and they see what's on the website, is there else you can share about the organization outside of what's just in the website description?
Jennifer: Yeah, CHEP is an organization, it's a nonprofit organization. We are partnered with the VA Medical Center and we have houses on the VA Medical Center, but we are not the VA. And I think sometimes when people look at our location, they're like, oh, that's at Perry Point. So they got it, they got money, they got a hand up. We're still a nonprofit. We just are blessed to be on the grounds of the VA Medical Center in the single family homes.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Okay. ⁓ Okay. Mm-hmm. Yeah. ⁓ huh.
Jennifer: And then we recently, a year ago, opened up a, it's called the CHEP Outpost. It's a thrift store where we take all donations and all the proceeds that we get from that thrift store go directly to assisting our veterans in our location. So we have 29 beds in Perry Point, Maryland. We have 35 in Charleston, South Carolina, and we have nine in Southeast DC. So.
Derrick Williams: Mmm. Okay. Mm-hmm. Wow. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: We're and we're only a group of all of our employees. We're only about 25 people. Yeah. We're doing it. We're doing it.
Derrick Williams: Wow, y'all are doing a lot. Yeah, and I didn't realize you were actually on Perry Point, actually on the installation. Yeah, because I go there to the VA sometimes, right at Perry Point.
Jennifer: We are. Yes. Yeah, so if you're looking at the houses that are kind of they make an L shape around the fire department and the police station are our set of houses. And then you have some houses that are like tone siding ⁓ with the VA Medical Center. ⁓ the houses ours are like the only way to deter them is like ours are white siding and theirs are like ⁓ olive green and kind of beige siding.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Okay. Okay, I know one beautiful thing down there is the body of water that's there. I've gone there for, yeah, I've gone for an appointment and on my way leaving, I caught the sun setting. I'm like, ⁓ my goodness.
Jennifer: It is beautiful. Yes, it's really peaceful and serene. And I think that's probably one of the things that people seek out the most about Perry Point is that it's in a rural space and it's a huge campus. I mean, you kind of don't realize that on any given day there's like 6,000 people that come through the campus, but yeah, would never feel that way. Cause when you're there, it's like ghost town. Yes.
Derrick Williams: Yeah. What? Wow. Mm-mm. Yes, it is very much a ghost town. So you mentioned doing this 18 years. So what originally drew you to this type of work?
Jennifer: 18 years. So I am not a veteran, but all of my family, all of my cousins, I even have a nephew right now that's in bootcamp for the army, ⁓ all of my family served. And so when they would come home and I would just see the difference, right? Or the fallout or the blessings or the good, the bad and the ugly that when they would come home, I was like, man, I think the outside world, we always talk about like loving a veteran and like, ⁓ thank you for your service. You know what I mean?
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mmm, yeah. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: And then you just assume that when a person comes home, they're the person they were when they left. And that's never the case. Like at least in my experience has never been the case. And I started to think about like, wow, like, you know, luckily for my family, we're a really strong oriented family, close knit family. We, so they have a village, you know, and we just wrapped our arms around them and like, you know, whatever they needed, good days, bad days, and all the in-between days, what do you need? We're going to show up for you. But then I started to think about all the people who they don't have that.
Derrick Williams: Yes. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: And maybe the whole reason they went into the service was to find their place and their people and their village. And then when they come home, I think that we do a terrible job reacclimating people to society. And so I was like, I want to do this. I want to do this. I want to give the same love and family and show up for strangers the way I would do for my family, because I just think that it's just not there. And so that's kind of how it started.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Jennifer: And I was like, I just, don't want to ruin anyone's life. Like I got to make sure I know what I'm doing. Right. So like I went back to school to get my master's to become a social worker. And then we started CHEP decided that they were going to switch and apply for a grant in per diem program, which is you get a grant from the VA medical center to do a body of work. so you have to write the grant. I wrote the grant ⁓ I had never written a grant before. I just was like,
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Okay. Interesting. Yes.
Jennifer: I can write, like college we read all this rhymes, like I can do this. So I'm just going to write this. This is like an assignment in school. You know what mean? So I wrote it and said, you know, we would, we would take care of veterans and we would help transition them from homelessness to permanent housing. and I was awarded the grant and this was, I'm going to say the first time we were ever awarded the grant was like 2008 maybe. ⁓ then from there it just kind of grew.
Derrick Williams: That's what I do. Yes. Mm-hmm. Okay.
Jennifer: Like that was just at Perry Point. And then we implemented it in South Carolina and then we implemented it in DC. And I'm always looking for other opportunities, but I also never wanted like jeopardized patient care because we grow too big because obviously I'm one person and while I have a great team, ⁓ I like to still be in it. Like, you know I mean? Like, you know, sometimes I think when people get to leadership, they're not still in there doing clinical work. And I still like to get in and do the clinical work. That's really my passion.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, it like it's quality over quantity for you, like making sure that you're there, ⁓ that you're there for people. That's so interesting. And I think something else that's great is you seeing that there was a need and you was just like, hey, I'm going give this a shot. You know, that's like a whole nother conversation, you know, just taking a chance on what you believe in your heart and what you feel. So and it kind of goes back to like next question I have is just
Jennifer: It is. It is. Yeah. Yes.
Derrick Williams: This isn't just a job for you. can see that. And you kind of spoke about that with your family, which go ahead. I don't know if you're about to say something.
Jennifer: Yeah. Yeah. No, that's what I might. So my grandfather was a Vietnam vet and I remember he would, would, he would do the VA bad. He would do him bad. ⁓ wouldn't go there. He'd be like, they, don't want to give us care. I'm just a number there. ⁓ he really talked a lot about how like it just, the system made him feel, didn't mean that the system was bad, but just, he didn't feel like there were people out there that were showing up for certainly not our Vietnam veterans at that, you know? and then. ⁓
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: So I was like, I'm gonna make a believer, I'm gonna start with him, because he's gonna be like my worst critic. So like if I can get him, then I could get anyone, you know what mean? Because he didn't have a problem in the world like telling me about service that he received somewhere. ⁓ some of the things that he would talk about, feeling like a number, feeling like he was just pushed from appointment to appointment, feeling like he was like not really heard. ⁓
Derrick Williams: Yes, Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. ⁓ Yeah.
Jennifer: feeling like people would just hand him a piece of paper or a phone number and tell him to go on and do something. And I was like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna peep that, right? And I'm gonna figure out if I can do it. And so I started doing it with my cousins and my grandfather, my uncles. ⁓ then ⁓ started kind of showing up for the same way when we started getting veterans in our TOR program. And a lot of them had that same thing. Like, ⁓ not even really sure I want to seek services because it doesn't feel good. It feels like I'm a burden and I don't want to be a burden. ⁓
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: And then some veterans, I think, really just find it like, signed up to serve, so I'm not worthy of a benefit now that I'm out, because I just took a service and I knew what I signed up for. But so much bigger than that, right? I'm like, you're absolutely worthy of service on the flip side of your service, you know? ⁓ And sometimes it's like, I just wanted to make people understand that, like, you're not a burden and this is not
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yes, yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Jennifer: a punishment, you seeking services for something that is very real for you is not a problem.
Jennifer: You did! That's right. Yes, you did. I am doing wonderful. Thank you so much, Derek, for having me. Such an honor to be on this podcast.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yes, I'm very excited about this. As we were talking right before we started, this is the first time I'm actually talking to someone that has an organization that I'm very, ⁓ what we're going to talk about is something that's near and dear to me. ⁓ So, folks will definitely hear about all that stuff. So, ⁓ going to jump right into it. So, can you share, can you share a little bit about yourself, ⁓ so the people know who's talking to them?
Jennifer: I'm ready. Sure, my name again is Jennifer Travers. I am the COO for CHEP and CHEP stands for Communities Helping and Empower Patriots. are our veterans mission. I've been with the organization for 18 years. So I this. ⁓
Derrick Williams: Yeah. Yes, yes. So for anybody that don't know anything about CHIP, but they go on the website and they see what's on the website, is there else you can share about the organization outside of what's just in the website description?
Jennifer: Yeah, CHEP is an organization, it's a nonprofit organization. We are partnered with the VA Medical Center and we have houses on the VA Medical Center, but we are not the VA. And I think sometimes when people look at our location, they're like, oh, that's at Perry Point. So they got it, they got money, they got a hand up. We're still a nonprofit. We just are blessed to be on the grounds of the VA Medical Center in the single family homes.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Okay. ⁓ Okay. Mm-hmm. Yeah. ⁓ huh.
Jennifer: And then we recently, a year ago, opened up a, it's called the CHEP Outpost. It's a thrift store where we take all donations and all the proceeds that we get from that thrift store go directly to assisting our veterans in our location. So we have 29 beds in Perry Point, Maryland. We have 35 in Charleston, South Carolina, and we have nine in Southeast DC. So.
Derrick Williams: Mmm. Okay. Mm-hmm. Wow. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: We're and we're only a group of all of our employees. We're only about 25 people. Yeah. We're doing it. We're doing it.
Derrick Williams: Wow, y'all are doing a lot. Yeah, and I didn't realize you were actually on Perry Point, actually on the installation. Yeah, because I go there to the VA sometimes, right at Perry Point.
Jennifer: We are. Yes. Yeah, so if you're looking at the houses that are kind of they make an L shape around the fire department and the police station are our set of houses. And then you have some houses that are like tone siding ⁓ with the VA Medical Center. ⁓ the houses ours are like the only way to deter them is like ours are white siding and theirs are like ⁓ olive green and kind of beige siding.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Okay. Okay, I know one beautiful thing down there is the body of water that's there. I've gone there for, yeah, I've gone for an appointment and on my way leaving, I caught the sun setting. I'm like, ⁓ my goodness.
Jennifer: It is beautiful. Yes, it's really peaceful and serene. And I think that's probably one of the things that people seek out the most about Perry Point is that it's in a rural space and it's a huge campus. I mean, you kind of don't realize that on any given day there's like 6,000 people that come through the campus, but yeah, would never feel that way. Cause when you're there, it's like ghost town. Yes.
Derrick Williams: Yeah. What? Wow. Mm-mm. Yes, it is very much a ghost town. So you mentioned doing this 18 years. So what originally drew you to this type of work?
Jennifer: 18 years. So I am not a veteran, but all of my family, all of my cousins, I even have a nephew right now that's in bootcamp for the army, ⁓ all of my family served. And so when they would come home and I would just see the difference, right? Or the fallout or the blessings or the good, the bad and the ugly that when they would come home, I was like, man, I think the outside world, we always talk about like loving a veteran and like, ⁓ thank you for your service. You know what I mean?
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mmm, yeah. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: And then you just assume that when a person comes home, they're the person they were when they left. And that's never the case. Like at least in my experience has never been the case. And I started to think about like, wow, like, you know, luckily for my family, we're a really strong oriented family, close knit family. We, so they have a village, you know, and we just wrapped our arms around them and like, you know, whatever they needed, good days, bad days, and all the in-between days, what do you need? We're going to show up for you. But then I started to think about all the people who they don't have that.
Derrick Williams: Yes. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: And maybe the whole reason they went into the service was to find their place and their people and their village. And then when they come home, I think that we do a terrible job reacclimating people to society. And so I was like, I want to do this. I want to do this. I want to give the same love and family and show up for strangers the way I would do for my family, because I just think that it's just not there. And so that's kind of how it started.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Jennifer: And I was like, I just, don't want to ruin anyone's life. Like I got to make sure I know what I'm doing. Right. So like I went back to school to get my master's to become a social worker. And then we started CHEP decided that they were going to switch and apply for a grant in per diem program, which is you get a grant from the VA medical center to do a body of work. so you have to write the grant. I wrote the grant ⁓ I had never written a grant before. I just was like,
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Okay. Interesting. Yes.
Jennifer: I can write, like college we read all this rhymes, like I can do this. So I'm just going to write this. This is like an assignment in school. You know what mean? So I wrote it and said, you know, we would, we would take care of veterans and we would help transition them from homelessness to permanent housing. and I was awarded the grant and this was, I'm going to say the first time we were ever awarded the grant was like 2008 maybe. ⁓ then from there it just kind of grew.
Derrick Williams: That's what I do. Yes. Mm-hmm. Okay.
Jennifer: Like that was just at Perry Point. And then we implemented it in South Carolina and then we implemented it in DC. And I'm always looking for other opportunities, but I also never wanted like jeopardized patient care because we grow too big because obviously I'm one person and while I have a great team, ⁓ I like to still be in it. Like, you know I mean? Like, you know, sometimes I think when people get to leadership, they're not still in there doing clinical work. And I still like to get in and do the clinical work. That's really my passion.
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, it like it's quality over quantity for you, like making sure that you're there, ⁓ that you're there for people. That's so interesting. And I think something else that's great is you seeing that there was a need and you was just like, hey, I'm going give this a shot. You know, that's like a whole nother conversation, you know, just taking a chance on what you believe in your heart and what you feel. So and it kind of goes back to like next question I have is just
Jennifer: It is. It is. Yeah. Yes.
Derrick Williams: This isn't just a job for you. can see that. And you kind of spoke about that with your family, which go ahead. I don't know if you're about to say something.
Jennifer: Yeah. Yeah. No, that's what I might. So my grandfather was a Vietnam vet and I remember he would, would, he would do the VA bad. He would do him bad. ⁓ wouldn't go there. He'd be like, they, don't want to give us care. I'm just a number there. ⁓ he really talked a lot about how like it just, the system made him feel, didn't mean that the system was bad, but just, he didn't feel like there were people out there that were showing up for certainly not our Vietnam veterans at that, you know? and then. ⁓
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: So I was like, I'm gonna make a believer, I'm gonna start with him, because he's gonna be like my worst critic. So like if I can get him, then I could get anyone, you know what mean? Because he didn't have a problem in the world like telling me about service that he received somewhere. ⁓ some of the things that he would talk about, feeling like a number, feeling like he was just pushed from appointment to appointment, feeling like he was like not really heard. ⁓
Derrick Williams: Yes, Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. ⁓ Yeah.
Jennifer: feeling like people would just hand him a piece of paper or a phone number and tell him to go on and do something. And I was like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna peep that, right? And I'm gonna figure out if I can do it. And so I started doing it with my cousins and my grandfather, my uncles. ⁓ then ⁓ started kind of showing up for the same way when we started getting veterans in our TOR program. And a lot of them had that same thing. Like, ⁓ not even really sure I want to seek services because it doesn't feel good. It feels like I'm a burden and I don't want to be a burden. ⁓
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm.
Jennifer: And then some veterans, I think, really just find it like, signed up to serve, so I'm not worthy of a benefit now that I'm out, because I just took a service and I knew what I signed up for. But so much bigger than that, right? I'm like, you're absolutely worthy of service on the flip side of your service, you know? ⁓ And sometimes it's like, I just wanted to make people understand that, like, you're not a burden and this is not
Derrick Williams: Mm-hmm. Yes, yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Jennifer: a punishment, you seeking services for something that is very real for you is not a problem.
