Our Team
Melinda Froess
Executive Director
Melinda has been Executive Director of Honor Veterans Now / Meals for Vets since July 2021 and has been a volunteer and Board Member since its conception in 2015. During her time as Executive Director, she has focused on developing and implementing innovative programs to feed Veterans, conceiving ways to provide outreach, working with constituent groups, building and retaining an excellent and enthusiastic staff, overseeing and coordinating the budget, and leading Honor Veterans Now / Meals for Vets through periods of growth and change. Melinda earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Davis, and her Associate of Science-Business from Sierra College. In 1998, Melinda founded and still owns a successful energy compliance consulting firm. She is also a licensed Real Estate Salesperson. Melinda is the proud daughter of Honor Veterans Now’s Founder Walter T. Wollny, an Airforce Veteran. She is also a granddaughter of Clarance R. Allen, a Navy Veteran. She enjoys gardening, traveling, and restoring old homes. Melinda lives with her awesome Husband and a very, very special Pug.
Tim Thompson
Deputy Executive Director
Tim is the most recent addition to Meals for Vets. He was born in Reno, Nevada but was raised in Harper Texas. He served in the Navy from 2008 to 2016 while serving as Master At Arms. He was forward deployed to Washington D.C., Japan, and Italy. Tim enjoys helping people and being outdoors, woodworking, reading a good book, music, and traveling. Tim is married to his wife Saphire and they have two children and a bunch of animals. He loves pizza and his favorite color is Purple.
Hope Mitchell
Veteran Outreach & Support Supervisor
Hope started with the organization in April of 2018. She’s had the privilege of working with Veterans for the past seven years, including being a support coordinator in Veteran services with a behavior health authority in Central Texas. She has two grown children, a daughter and a son who is a combat Marine Veteran and lived with her for 15 months after he got out of the service. Hope was born and raised in San Antonio. Her father was in the Army and her brother in the Coast Guard. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Southwest Texas State University. Hope enjoys kayaking, gardening, and anything outdoors.
James Simons
Grant Writer
James started working with Meals for Vets in April of 2020 and has submitted 168 grant proposals, of which 57 have been funded, for over a million dollars. He has 15 years of grant writing experience with multiple Texas state agencies and universities. James has a PhD in Oceanography from Texas A&M University and served 22 years in the US Army Reserve. James lives in Fredericksburg with his wife Vicky, their daughter Emily, a Bernese Mountain dog, two cats, two turtles, and 14 chickens.
Richard Zowie
Veteran Support Coordinator
Richard joined us in November of 2021. He attended college at Pensacola Christian College and graduated in 1995. Richard spent four years in the U.S. Army (1996-2000), reaching the rank of E-4 Specialist and served in military intelligence. He’s a 1998 graduate of Defense Language Institute at Presidio of Monterey, California, and he also completed voice interceptor training at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. Following military service, Richard spent 20 years working in journalism and broadcasting and currently works as a freelance writer and part-time as a broadcaster. He likes to visit museums, play chess, geocache, podcast, blog, and write fiction. Richard has three sons, all grown: Jonathon, Charles, and Robert. Through Charles, Richard has one daughter-in-law, Katie.
Walter Heard
Veteran Support Coordinator
Walter joined our organization in May of 2022. He served in the Army from 1972-1975, attended the University of Wyoming, graduating in 1981 with a BA in Political Science and MA in International Studies in 1985, and spent 30 years in the transportation/freight industry. Walter lives in Fredericksburg, Texas and has been married to his wife, Norma, for 40 years and have two grown children, Megan & Kevin, and three grandchildren, Asher, Parker, & Connor.
Debra Hernandez
Veteran Support Coordinator
Debra has recently joined our team. She is native Texan and a proud mom of three. Her
uncle, father-in-law, grandfather and multiple cousins and nephews have served in the
United States Armed Forces. She finds great fulfillment in serving those who have
served us. Debra loves reading historical fiction, walking with her dogs, and cooking for
her family.