Veterans Inc. (formerly known as The Central Massachusetts Shelter for Homeless Veterans and Massachusetts Veterans Inc.) is a national, non-governmental, and non-profit organization, which was founded in 1990. It has been devoted to the cause of "providing services to veterans in need and their families across New England" by giving shelter to honorably-served veterans who have lost their homes and suffer from other possible disabilities. The organization is headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts. History In 1990, a small "band of brothers", Vietnam veterans, alarmed at seeing their fellow veterans living in alleys and under bridges, incorporated Veterans Inc. (then the Central Massachusetts Shelter for Homeless Veterans). In October 1991, the group received the keys to the historic Massachusetts National Guard Armory from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with a contract to lease the building for a dollar per year. Abandoned for about 12 years, the building had been condemned and was slated for demolition. In four months, the veterans collected $17,000 in cash donations and, with the help of volunteers including labor unions, completed $250,000 worth of renovations. With an all-volunteer staff, the doors opened to nine homeless Vietnam veterans on January 20, 1992. The building was still in such bad shape that only a small section of the first floor was used. The utilities were non-functioning, the windows blown out, walls had collapsed and the roof was pierced by huge holes. Rumor has it that every pigeon in the City of Worcester lived at 69 Grove Street. But these humble living conditions were better than the alternative for many. As the first years passed, Veterans Inc. repaired the building a little at a time. Most of the work was performed by the residents and volunteers. An estimated $5 million in volunteer and donated services has been invested over the past 20 years to rescue the historic building and expand services for veterans. In 1993, Lt. Colonel Vincent J. Perrone USAF (Retired) was named president of the organization, a position he still holds today. He recruited Board Member Denis Leary (former Director of the Substance Abuse Center at Community Healthlink), and the two lifelong friends took the fledgling organization from $100,000 in debt to operating in the black in less than a year. They expanded the agency's focus to include veterans of all eras, and women veterans. In fact, Veterans Inc. was the first facility in the nation to offer in-house services