Each year, over 200,000 service members separate from the military—18,000 of them right here in San Diego County. Yet most make this transition alone, without local ties, community resources, or a personal support network. This lack of early connection often leads to poor outcomes: underemployment, housing insecurity, anxiety, and social isolation.
The San Diego Veterans Coalition (SDVC) addresses this challenge through its Volunteer Reintegration Sponsor (VRS) Initiative—a collaborative model that pairs transitioning service members (TSMs) with trained local volunteers before separation. These community sponsors act as guides, connectors, and trusted allies, helping TSMs build a foundation of support and a sense of belonging rooted in their future community.
Backed by monthly check-ins and ongoing support, sponsors are empowered with tools, training, and community connections to ensure their TSMs develop a personalized, proactive network—before challenges arise. The program leverages cross-sector collaboration with military installations, nonprofits, employers, education partners, and government agencies, all working together toward a shared-impact goal: smoother, more successful transitions for those who served.
Participants will learn how to replicate this approach, explore real-life outcomes, and take home actionable tools to embed reintegration into the heart of their own communities. With measurable benefits in employment, retention, well-being, and engagement, this model offers a replicable solution that reflects the best of what Live Well San Diego represents.
Learning Objectives
1. Describe how community-based sponsorship enhances social, emotional, and workforce reintegration outcomes for transitioning service members.
2. Identify key partnerships and community assets needed to implement a collaborative reintegration initiative with shared measurable impact.
3. Apply a replicable framework for connecting TSMs to local networks before transition, using ongoing sponsor support as a preventative strategy.