Wilfredo Quiles sent a message to Thomas M. Rutledge Chief Executive Officer and President of Charter Communications, Inc. Email Address that said:
Hello my name is Wilfredo Quiles I am a Disabled Veteran Representative (DVOP) with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity at CareerSource Brevard (Palm Bay Office). As you may be aware, the State of Florida works in concert with the Veterans Administration to service the needs of Veterans in our local communities.
We (DVOPs) provide a myriad of support to our Homeless, Disabled, and Unemployed Veterans. Support ranges from employment assistance, resume writing, interview skills, to providing assistance getting Affordable Housing, Emergency Financial and Medical care through outside agencies.
I work with and assist Veterans at the Veterans Transitional Facility (VTF). The VTF is a non-profit organization which is funded by a Veterans Administration Grant, and donations from corporations, small businesses as well as donations from private individuals.
The VTF is a temporary shelter that provides room and board to homeless Veterans who are trying to get their lives together and becoming self-sufficient. This facility is the only facility in Brevard County which accepts homeless Veterans with their family (children).
The VTF consist of 10 apartments housed in two buildings which can accommodate up to 20 residents. In addition to the living areas, there is a dayroom, a commercial kitchen for preparing meals and a foodbank to assist Veterans and their families who are in immediate need of food.
At the VTF residents are provided with all personal items including clothing if necessary. They are also given assistance from CareerSource Brevard in job search, referrals, resume writing and interview workshops. The residents with substance abuse problems are referred to and required to attend meetings with a professional counselor provided by the VTF.
Residents who need other services are referred to the proper agency within the county. Veterans with health issues/concerns are transported to the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic. Veterans who need to apply to the Veterans Administration for disabilities, or pensions are referred to the Brevard County Veterans Service office or one of the many Veterans organizations who maintain service officers within the organization.
The purpose of this letter is to humbly request your assistance by way of donations; being more specific upgrade of connectivity at our Veteran Transition Facility in Melbourne, FL 32901. The Veterans are expected to conduct many actions on line and they are unable to as the connectivity does not allow for constant availability of internet.
I am recommending the following as possible solutions and hopefully at no additional cost to the facility.
Internet Connectivity:
• Recommendation 1: Spectrum offers to run network cables to each unit and install wall mount network jack boxes in each unit. All of these would connect back to a switch (e.g. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tp-link-24-port-10-100-1000-mbps-gigabit-ethernet-switch-gray/4359864.p?skuId=4359864) that would be installed where the cable modem is located. The hurdle with this option is that the cabling would have to be run underground between the two buildings.
For wireless connectivity :
• Recommendation 2: If hard-wired connections are not an option and the need to focus solely on a wireless solution then I would recommend the Ubiquiti AmpliFi wireless mesh router. (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ubiquiti-amplifi-hd-home-wi-fi-system-wireless-ac1750-dual-band-wi-fi-router-white/5736902.p?skuId=5736902) The package comes with a base router/antenna and two mesh antennas which can be placed between the two buildings. If there is still signal issues after this is installed maybe additional antennas can be installed to fill the gaps. (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/amplifi-meshpoint-hd-wi-fi-range-extender-white/5737400.p?skuId=5737400)
Without solid connectivity the Veterans have no way to prepare a resume, conduct job search, apply for jobs on line as well as complete other applications and documents that are required to get Medical, Housing or Federal Assistance.
I am not asking for top of the line fiber optic, just asking to get the facility good solid connectivity to all the rooms so the Veterans are able to do what is required of them to help them take care of medical and housing issues and become independent once again.
I made numerous calls and no one in the Spectrum offices here in Melbourne Florida could tell me where or who to speak to reference the assistance/donation I am asking for to better assist these homeless Veterans.
Please contact me should you have any questions or need further explanation on the facility, its mission and how it is set up. You may call me at 321-394-0584, I work from 8AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Thursday and 8AM to 12PM on Fridays. I do leave the office to conduct community and Veteran outreach but thats normally on Mondays or Tuesdays if Monday is a Holiday.
