VA Announces Homeless Program Per Diem Awards
VA Announces Homeless Program Per Diem Awards
WASHINGTON (Aug. 6, 2003) - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today
identified recipients of up to $8 million in per diem awards as part of VA's
Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. Recipients are community and
faith-based organizations, as well as state and local governments that
provide critical services to homeless veterans.
"President Bush is committed to ending chronic homelessness in America in 10
years and these awards will further the President's commitment," said
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi.
The 44 separate awards just announced will help offset the operating
expenses of existing programs that provide supported housing or services for
homeless veterans in 25 states. The awardees were selected in a competitive
process from approximately 150 applications. VA provides separate grants
for capital projects involving new construction or renovation of existing
facilities.
Seven awards were to providers in five states VA had targeted as areas where
homeless veterans' needs are most underserved. The selected programs are
located in Idaho, Kansas, Montana, New Hampshire and Wyoming.
Although VA did not receive any applications from programs affiliated with
Indian tribal governments -- also one of VA's targeted groups -- several
awardees do provide service to Native American veterans.
The selected programs will receive up to $26.95 per day for each eligible
veteran provided care. Approximately 30 percent of the award recipients are
faith-based providers. A complete listing of award recipients and the
locations where homeless veterans receive services is provided below.
In addition to the grant and per diem program, VA administers special health
care assistance programs that offer clinical outreach, case management and
rehabilitation programs for homeless veterans and conducts outreach to
provide benefits counseling and referrals to other VA programs.
In the past nine years, VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program
has awarded nearly 315 grants totaling $63 million to public and nonprofit
groups to establish transitional housing and service centers and to purchase
vans to provide transportation to services and employment for homeless
veterans. The entire program has awarded grants to organizations in 48
states and the District of Columbia. With the addition of this per diem
award, the program now supports nearly 7,000 beds that are available to
homeless veterans.
"VA's homeless program awards make a real difference in the lives of
thousands of homeless veterans each year," said Principi, "but we will not
rest until the President's goal of ending chronic homelessness is achieved."
More information about VA's Homeless Assistance Programs and Initiatives can
be found at http://www.va.gov/homeless on the Internet.
2003 Per Diem Only Award Selectees
State City Agency
Ark. Little Rock Recovery Centers of Arkansas
Calif. Bakersfield Veterans Assistance Foundation, Inc.
Lathrop Native Directions, Inc.
Los Angeles P.A.T.H.
San Diego St. Vincent de Paul Village
Conn. New Britain Friendship Service Center of New Britain
Torrington Torrington Chapter of FISH, Inc.
Fla. Lauderhill Yettie's Outreach and Development
Corporation
Miami Volunteers of America of Florida,
Inc.
Idaho Coeur d'Alene Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the City of Coeur
d'Alene
Ill. Galesburg Goodwill Industries of Central Ill.,
Inc.
Hebron Transitional Living Services Inc.
Ind. Indianapolis Volunteers of America of Indiana, Inc.
Kan. Kansas City The Salvation Army
Ky. Louisville Interlink Counseling Services, Inc.
Louisville Society of St. Vincent de Paul
La. Harvey Gateway Foundation, Inc.
Mass. Leeds United Veterans of America
Worcester Massachusetts Veterans, Inc.
Md. Baltimore Maryland Center for Veterans
Education and Training, Inc.
Minn. Minneapolis Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans
Mo. St. Joseph Salvation Army, Inc.
Mont. Kalispell Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down
N.C. Asheville Asheville Buncombe Community
Christian Ministry, Inc.
Burlington Residential Treatment Services of
Alamance, Inc.
Charlotte Family Forum, Inc. (d.b.a.
"Charlottetown Manor")
Raleigh Wake County Human Services
N.H. Manchester Liberty House Shelter, Inc.
Nashua Harbor Homes, Inc.
N.Y. Menands Altamont Program, Inc.
Newburgh Volunteers of America, Greater NY
Rochester The Salvation Army, Rochester NY
Syracuse Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse
Ohio Cincinnati Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries
Rehabilitation Center, Inc.
Cincinnati Joseph House, Inc.
Okla. Oklahoma City North Oklahoma County Mental Health Center, Inc.
Oklahoma City Phoenix Recovery Institute
Pa. Philadelphia Fresh Start Foundation
Tenn. Knoxville Steps House, Inc
Nashville Matthew 25, Inc.
Wash. Spokane REM Association
Wis. Ft. McCoy Wisconsin Department of Veterans
Affairs
Wyo. Cheyenne Southeast Wyoming Mental Health
Center
Sheridan Volunteers of America Wyoming
# # #
HOMELESS/JOBLESS VETERANS.................
There are many reasons why there are so many Homeless Veterans..............Many Viet Nam Veterans cannot coupe with living in a civilized world and/or cannot stand civilians..............They need help, but many refuse it............There is always a job to be had, even if it is slinging hamburgers until you find what you want...........Too many expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter............If you want to get ahead, there is always a will and a way............If you want to be a Bum and collect hand-outs so be it...........I got where I am today by hard-work and going after what I wanted..........Nobody gave me anything for free..........Just like the Title Marine, I earned it.
"GOD BLESS AMERICA and THE UNITED STATES MARINES."
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Homeless Vietnam Veterans?
I can't help but wonder...
A couple of years ago, the City of Riverside, Ca and our local veterans office announced how they were going to hold a veterans fair at the park for all homeless veterans.
They planned to supply them with food, clothing, and meet some of their medical needs. A sort of health fair for veterans. It was billed as such, with a lot of publicity.
On the day of the event, a Marine friend who had volunteered to work the event wrote down the actual number of homeless veterans that were helped. He had questioned them individually to determine the branch of service and units they were with.
At the end of the event the veteran’s office announced to the press that it had helped over 360 homeless Vietnam veterans.
But the Marine who was there had the actual number, 11 (eleven) were actual veterans, the others were just community people that were homeless. He told me and I called the press.
The newspaper was about to publish the figures the veterans office had given them. That over 360 homeless Vietnam veterans were helped until I revealed the truth. When the reporter double-checked it was worst then that. Only one or two were actual homeless Vietnam veterans and that was on their own choosing. According to the official documents the veterans office finally released the others were homeless and needy civilians, they had counted as veterans.
While all should be helped that need it, and I support that. However the Vietnam Veteran was going to be shamed and used again to justify a government funded program.