Andrew Moyseowicz

Last year, Andrew Moyseowicz served at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. Moyseowicz’s service helped the organization provide homeless and at-risk veterans with access to vocational-training courses to improve their employment and housing outcomes.

Often, veterans are overrepresented among the homeless population, and are more likely to experience higher unemployment than the national average. Moyseowicz interacted with homeless veterans of all eras, spanning World War II to Operations Iraqi/Enduring Freedom. The population is highly vulnerable, with many veterans experiencing unemployment, addiction, mental health issues, and physical disabilities, all on top of homelessness. By increasing access to vocational training, Moyseowicz assisted veterans in exiting homelessness as well as preventing veterans from becoming homeless.

As a child, Moyseowicz was convinced his dad made toys. Moyseowicz’s father served in the Navy, and every time he went away for six to nine months, he would bring Moyseowicz back exotic, Middle Eastern toys.

In spite of his father’s frequent deployments to the Persian Gulf and the Balkans, Moyseowicz remembers enjoying a loving home life and attending excellent schools. He never quite realized the wealth of support his family received through friends and community organizations that made his great life possible.

As an AmeriCorps member, serving two-yearlong terms, Moyseowicz has tried to give back, what he feels was so freely given to him. Over the last two years, Moyseowicz has interacted with homeless drug addicts, ex-convicts, traumatized veterans, none of whom have had the good fortune he has had.

He strives to excel as an volunteer, but perhaps most importantly Moyseowicz says he strives “daily to be a genuine and approachable volunteer, one who is not afraid to shake hands with a street dweller, share a meal at a soup kitchen, or be there to listen to a veteran in need.”