About us

Why we run a rescue without a kennel.

Central Massachusetts Veterans Support provides peer-led mental health, housing, and benefits navigation for veterans in Worcester County and the surrounding region. Every member of our staff is a veteran. We hold hands through the VA system, show up at court dates, and stand between a veteran in crisis and the next bad decision.

CMA Veterans Support was founded by two Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and a Vietnam-era retired social worker in 2014. They had watched too many friends slip through the gaps between the VA, private insurance, and county services.

We are not a substitute for VA care. We are a bridge into it, and the person on the phone when the VA is closed. Our peer counselors have been deployed, have filed claims, have lost people. They are trained, credentialed, and supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.

We take no federal funds. Our work is funded by Massachusetts foundations and individual donors. This gives us freedom to advocate for veterans even when that means disagreeing with the VA.

Leadership and governance

We are governed by a five-member volunteer board that meets quarterly. Day-to-day operations are led by a small paid staff. Full bios and our annual Form 990 are available on request.

Financial transparency

Our most recent audit is available upon request at [email protected]. Over 91% of expenses fund direct animal care. Administrative costs run under 6%; fundraising under 3%.