Welcome to the foundation of Mentors for Hillsborough County Veterans (MHCV). We are veterans who are dedicated to the men and women in Tampa Bay's Veterans Treatment Court (VTC).

Why We Do What We Do:

Driven by the U.S. military values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and moral courage, the volunteer mentors are Tampa Bay’s unsung heroes whose daily actions positively impact the well being of its local veterans and our community. They continue to pay it forward without any expectation of compensation or recognition. In fact, their “reward” is in the grateful acknowledgment from those veterans and their families and their well-being. The volunteer veteran mentors are the “quiet warriors” who will not rest until every veteran in trouble with the law is provided the needed resources to get well again and successfully reintegrate into our community.

Our Mission Statement:

To help identify, treat, rehabilitate, and to seamlessly reintegrate the veteran back into the community where he or she earlier swore to protect and defend; Serve as a platform for community awareness and education of the VTC program; Provide training and advisory support to requested VTC programs (intra and interstate levels); Advocate for pertinent Veterans legislation (local, state and federal levels).

LEADERSHIP DELIVERING RESULTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, SERVING WITH GRACE AND DIGNITY FOR VETERANS AFTER THE WAR.

2021

2020

01 December: Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) "ChangeMakers" p46:

26 November: Fox13 Gloria Gomez covers VTC Mentors' Annual Thanksgiving Meal Program for its VTC veterans:

12 November: StepUpAmericaProgram.org Podcast "The Franklin Project":

11 November: LTG James Peake Community Service Award (Bay Area Legal Services):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYiwOCjVSwM&feature=youtu.be

21 August: Radio Interview 1180AM WFYL (Phila, PA) on Tampa's VTC and Mentor Program:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyE2ykpZLeg&list=PLrb1ux_dsaHXMWQTpSBsY7takJfH570lR&index=2&t=0s

13 August: Tampa City Councilman Viera hosted panel with VTC Judges Michael Scionti and Gregory Holder, and senior veteran mentors DJ Reyes and Jim Fletcher:

https://www.facebook.com/councilmanluis/videos/2993244120786096/?vh=e&extid=qUYuL1GJT1uZnLwl&d=n

8 August: POTUS signs VTC Legislation into law:

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/national/military-news/president-trump-signs-veteran-treatment-court-coordination-act-into-law/67-

67253e3c-76cc-42f3-a8c5-15a7282b813f

28 July: WFLA Bloom 38 TV Interview with Gayle Guyardo on VTC and HR886

https://www.wfla.com/bloom/community-voice-on-veterans-issues/

21July HR886 VTC Bill Passed:

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-military/2020/07/21/congress-approves-bill-giving-federal-support-to-veterans-treatment-courts/

15 July Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero Award (Video):

https://tampabay.box.com/s/d8yavl77lxiolxi85qz1ovkx6zbru9xu (Video)

https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/col-dj-reyes-honored-as-lightning-community-hero/c-317452512tcid=fb_news_content_id&fbclid=IwAR3u9P4mcZtSfdVvvyU_uYif8luFWEBm4yUuk41lspR2eUjtoWP8TU2iNw (press release)

22 April VTC legislation commentary: