Helping Every Vet In Need (HEVIN)

Connect Community with Veterans in Need

HEVIN (Helping Every Veteran in Need), a non-profit organization deeply committed to assisting local veterans and their families in Cowlitz County. Our mission is rooted in understanding the unique needs of each veteran, allowing us to strategically utilize our resources for maximum impact. At HEVIN, we believe in a collaborative approach, working closely with the community to identify existing resources and stepping in to bridge gaps when necessary. From emergency rent and medical assistance to automobile repairs and mental wellness support groups, HEVIN is dedicated to addressing a diverse range of needs. Our board, composed largely of veterans, plays a crucial role in the process. They diligently review applications, explore options, and ensure that assistance is provided promptly. While our goal is to extend support swiftly, we also place importance on verifying veteran status and income levels.

Our commitment to veterans goes beyond assistance — it’s about creating a supportive and united community. We invite veterans we’ve assisted to pay it forward by participating in HEVIN events or volunteering, fostering a sense of community where no one stands alone.

Our story

2018

501 c3 Status Granted

HEVIN received 501c3 status from the IRS.

We started to help veterans in need.

We held our first VetsGiving dinner.

2019

HEVIN’S Mission Came To Life

Our founding board members joined forces to spread the word about HEVIN’S mission, “CONNECTING COMMUNITY WITH VETERANS IN NEED”

We were awarded 100 Women Who Care money.

We started to have monthly lunch meetings with local veterans.

We were able to help even more veterans with community gaining awareness.

2020

COVID Obstacles To Overcome

Covid-19 rendered us unable to meet for our lunches or in person fundraisers.

We continued to help veterans in need.

We had a “Drive by VetsGiving dinner” and it was a huge success.

2021

Expanded The HEVIN Team

In April we received a Grant from Department of Veteran Affairs which enabled us to hire part time staff.

100% of donations are funneled back to Veterans in Cowlitz County because of this grant.

We had our 1^st Annual car show- “Hot Rods for HEVIN”

In October we hired 2 employees.

We were awarded the 100 Women Who Care money.

We had our 3^rd Annual VetsGiving Dinner in person and drive by.

We have continued to help veterans in need.

Our Team

Rich & Rhonda

Rich and Rhonda Black are the Founders of HEVIN.

They were both born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and have a combined family of 4 daughters and 6 grandsons.

Rich and Rhonda own and operate an Electrical Contracting Company in Castle Rock, WA and Rhonda works and volunteers at Hevin.

Rich is a Untied States Air Force Veteran who served from 1989-1992 and was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, WA. He was an electronic warfare system specialist on B-52 Bombers. He was stationed in England during Operation Desert Shield/Storm.

Rich and Rhonda volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and Rich sits on their board of directors as well. Rhonda is a member of the Longview Rotary Club.

Rich and Rhonda both have a heart for their community and work hard at their job so they can give more to the community. In their spare time they enjoy traveling and spending time with their family.

Rich and Rhonda made HEVIN a reality after Rich had a vivid dream about it and couldn’t rest until the dream was fulfilled. He had the dream after a veteran friend in need of financial help was reluctant to ask for help from friends. The dream was to connect community with veterans, for needs that can’t be met by other resources in the community. With a lot of hard work, they were able to make the dream a reality. Since 2018, The HEVIN board of directors, along with many generous community members have been able to help countless veterans.

Raul Rios was born and raised in San Bernardino, CA and spent his summers in Santa Rosa, CA.

After graduating from Cajon High School, he enlisted in the United States Army at age seventeen. Basic training occurred at Fort Dix, NJ after which he attended the U.S. Army’s Intelligence School and was trained as an Electronic Warfare/Signals Intelligence Interceptor/Analyst. Raul served with the 1st Infantry Division also known as the Big Red One deploying to Operation Desert Shield/Storm and later with the Army’s Intelligence Security Command (INSCOM) in Sinope, Turkey.

Raul continued to serve under INSCOM at discreet locations throughout the world until his separation where he transitioned to the Department of Defense (DoD) working throughout the world for Advent Systems, Inc., BAE Systems, Inc., and Booz Allen Hamilton.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom 2008-2009, Raul had the honor of serving his country once again as a Liaison Officer in Baghdad, Iraq working as an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Collection Manager for Multi-National Forces Iraq/Multi-National Corps Iraq (MNF-I/MNFC-I). In 2010 Raul resigned from the DoD to attend school pursuing a degree in Homeland Security Emergency Management in Puyallup, WA.

Today, Raul is a Peer Specialist within the Department of Veteran Affairs’ homeless program. In this capacity, he works to support, inspire, and advocate for the Veteran’s needs within the VA. Raul whole heartedly believes in the VA’s Mission as defined by our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan,”.

Raul lives in Cowlitz County with his wife, daughter, two dogs and three cats. His goal is to serve the Veteran’s in his community ensuring they understand their benefits have been earned and this great Nation owes everything for their service great and small.

Mary was born and raised in Cowlitz County.

Mary graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting and Finance. While enrolled at WSU, Mary was the College of Business Outstanding Undergraduate of the Year and served as student ambassador and president of the finance club.

Mary has been a Certified Public Accountant since 2008, specializing in tax preparation and non-profit financial statement auditing.

Mary is a proud member of Rotary. Although not a veteran, being the treasurer of HEVIN is one way Mary feels grateful to give back to her country.

Mary has a wonderful husband Nick and daughter Ellen. Mary is excited to announce she will soon be a grandmother as well! Mary has just recently opened her own CPA company, Lower Columbia CPA’s and Company, PLLC. In her spare time, you can find her on her sailboat or on the mountain skiing. She also enjoys camping and just being outdoors.

Rachel has spent the majority of her professional life working in the medical field as a CMA. She will utilize her medical experience to assist our local community of veterans by understanding their physical and emotional needs. Her value to working alongside our community is to increase the quality of life for many veterans and their families.

Rachel has many family and friends who are veterans and feels very passionate to fulfill a role of service with HEVIN, as a volunteer. She is honored to be able to give back to veterans in honor of all they sacrificed for us.

Rachel has two beautiful teenaged children, a dog named Marlo, and a supportive husband of almost 18 years. Rachel loves to hike and camp with her family and is a fantastic cook and baker.

She looks forward to furthering her service and passion, working directly with veterans through her new role at HEVIN.

Cathy has lived in the Pacific Northwest most of her life. Cathy is a Veteran of the US Army, and served during the Vietnam Era, from 1973-1976. She was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany and worked in Postal Operations.

Cathy comes from a strong family line of Veterans, including many female Veterans, all of whom set a beautiful example of Americanism for Cathy at a young age. These women include her Aunt Lois, who served in the Army during WWII, and her mother Beverly, who served in the Army during the Korean War.

Cathy is a member of the American Legion Post #25, the American Legion Auxiliary Post #25, and belongs to the American Legion Riders. Cathy is very passionate about helping all people in her community but holds a special place in her heart for veterans.

She is married to a wonderful man who is also a veteran and serves other veterans in the community. She also has an amazing son. She is a Wellness Consultant for doTERRA Essential Oils and enjoys helping people find a natural solution for their health and wellness. Cathy’s husband is Dan Halverson and is the Veteran who inspired Rich Black to create HEVIN. Cathy feels honored to be part of HEVIN and its mission and is excited to make a difference in the lives of our local veterans.

Jeff was born and raised in Cowlitz County. He’s spent the last 15+ years working in the maritime industry and previously served as an account manager in the electrical industry.

Although not a veteran, he has many relatives and friends that have served. He feels that it’s his obligation to honor and give back to those who have made our Constitutional Republic what it is today.

Jeff has organized multiple fundraisers for different organizations. He is an active member of the Longview Pioneer Lions Cluband is past President of the Columbia River Grain Elevator and Processing Society.

Jeff lives in Cowlitz County with his wife and 3 dogs. They have an adult son that also resides in Cowlitz County. Spare time is enjoyed with family and friends. He also enjoys live music, motorcycles, hot rods, golf, car shows, and volunteering locally.

Jeff feels honored to be part of HEVIN and is dedicated to their mission of assisting ourlocal veterans.