- In many cases, veterans who are unhoused may be facing issues such as PTSD or substance abuse issues, which makes the journey towards housing even harder.

Today, Rip Byberg met with Veteran Resource Center, Joseph House, to see how they help individuals just like that get a fighting chance for stability.

Take a look.

- We're headed to the VA hospital for an appointment.

- Yeah, go to the VA.

- Donnie Leinberger works for the homeless veterans care facility.

Joseph House.

- I'm just a transportation coordinator.

I'm certified peer support.

- He didn't start there as an employee.

- I love Joseph House for saving my life, and if I can get through to as many guys I can to any little way I have of doing it, I do that.

- Donnie served in the United States Army from 1977 to 1983.

He suffered from substance abuse and alcoholism for most of his life after he served.

- So I just finally gave up, started couch there, lost my apartment.

I got tired of starting... I was always starting over because of my addictions.

So I, I can relate with all these guys.

- Donnie found himself staying with his niece who looked up Joseph House and told him to give it a shot.

- She found Joseph House on the internet, called him, checked on it, set it up and they called me and I talked to Joseph House case manager and they asked me a bunch of questions, you know.

About five days later, I got a phone call that come, you know, come such and such date and we'll put you in the program.

- This Covington, Kentucky native had no idea that what he signed up for was going to reroute him to a new path.

- They got me sober, cleaned and sober.

I didn't think it was possible.

It gave me another sense of pride in my fellow veterans that I used to have years ago.

- People are connecting and really helping at a ground level up to get them the services that they need.

- That's Alicia Patterson, executive director of Joseph House.

The nonprofit organization has enough rooms for 58 individuals at a time.

Clients are able to stay there for a year as they receive resources to help them navigate their path towards stability.

- While they're working on some of the issues therapeutically, the other individuals, the case manager and the peer supports are working with helping them leave here successfully.

So it's kind of a two-track system, right?

Therapy and helping them to be successful when they leave.

- Alicia says Donnie represents what Joseph House is all about.

- You just never know who's going to latch on and really succeed.

And Donnie came in and just gave it his all.

Seeing his transformation was unbelievable.

He loved it so much that he wanted to come back to Joseph House.

He decided that this is his passion and helping other veterans.

He's been there.

He's done that.

He's seen the challenges.

He's walked that walk for them and so he wanted to come back and continue that important work.

- A part of being at Joseph House is securing housing.

- My home sweet home, my old Kentucky home.

I love it.

- Donnie moved back to his hometown.

A full circle moment for him.

- This apartment, this home, back in my hometown where I grew up, it means the world to me and keeps me sober knowing I got a roof over my head and food and refrigerator.

- And despite the number of homeless veterans decreasing for the better part of a decade, over the past year, the numbers have ticked up.

Nicole Michelson and Laquita Potter from the Cincinnati VA believe that area resources for veterans in Cincinnati, including Joseph House, can meet that need.

- The economy right now is a little bit challenging.

People are entering homeless quicker.

The numbers we're seeing are manageable and thankfully with the visibility of the programs, is it the numbers rising or because we are really kind of doing a lot of street outreach, we're really out there kind of spreading the message, "Hey, we can assist."

- And the Cincinnati VA believes housing is one of those first steps.

- We meet them wherever they are in their process.

So whether they're at the beginning or in the middle or the end, we are more than honored to provide these services to our veterans and to bring them into stability and a stable home and restore them to the person that they were.

- And when one veteran gets closer to that goal, it's a win for everyone.

- Jason here just got back.

He was here and then he left and went to a PTSD program.

About to get housed.

He's getting ready to go.

- Jason Kenny's one of the clients of Joseph House.

He shares what this part of the journey means to him.

- Well, it's a, it feels a bit like relief, you know, certainly coming from where I came from.

It's a, it's an added bonus for sure.

- And wins like that, remind Donnie about his purpose.

- I get to go to work every day doing what I love doing, helping other veterans try and get what I got and come home in peace and quiet at night.

I'm content.

I'm happy and content.

- For Brick by Brick, I'm Hearns Laguerre Jr.

- That's it.

That's a wrap for that trip.