Jim Lindenmeyer

Jim Lindenmayer grew up on a farm just north of Herkimer, New York in an area steeped in Revolutionary War heritage. Attended and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1980 with a BS in Chemical Engineering. Was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army and served with the Armored Cavalry branch of Combat Arms where I held various command and staff positions at both Troop level and Squadron level to include platoon leader, Troop Executive Officer, Squadron Motor Officer, and S3Air. Sent by Armor Branch to Ft. Benning where I was assigned to the Army Review board to review the Infantry Fighting Vehicle and then to attend Infantry Officer advanced course. Resigned active duty commission and then went into the Reserves until I was discharged in 1989.

Retired from the corporate world in 2014 and while working on my father’s VA claim looked for a retirement project that could make a difference to people’s lives. After much research and having been a 20+ year member of the American Legion, created and launched in November of 2014 the Cherokee County Homeless Veteran program where I serve as the Program Director.

In addition to working on the Cherokee County Homeless Veterans program I also serve as a member on the Balance of State (BOS) Homeless Committee for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Through the CCHV program we focus on not only handling those veterans who find themselves homeless, but also focus on Homeless prevention. Homeless prevention focuses on those veterans who are financially challenged, disabled, or elderly who are in need of various levels or local assistance to include rent and utility assistance, home repair which we do with grants from the Home Depot Foundation and work with Habitat for Humanity.

Due to distance limitations of the nearest local VAMC, we have created partnerships with mental health providers that will assist veterans with such disorders as PTSD, Anger Management, and Depression, to name a few. The partnerships include Operation Not Forgotten which is a peer to peer focused program that is done locally in the community as well as with Give an Hour program which provides 24 hour phone support through one of 150+ licensed therapists in Georgia who are part of this program.

Recently, we are working on adaptive sports programs for those veterans who have mental health issues as well as physical disabilities as part of our mental health program. We are partnering with the Cherokee County Government and the VA on Grants to get these veterans back into society and away from homelessness. Lastly, each year through our program and with the help of the Cherokee County Sr. Services program led by Pat Kenny, we are able to provide for our veterans in need and their family an Easter Egg Hunt, a Christmas program and recently a veterans Thanksgiving program. As part of our Christmas program we identify veteran families in need and work with local corporations through our “Adopt A Vet” program so that these families will have Christmas gifts, food, and clothing where they will not due to their situation. In all our program has helped over 500 veterans since we started the program.

Married 31 years to my wife Margo and we have two dogs who think they are our children.