Posted on Sep 24, 2015
Were You Aware The VA Announced $4 Million in Funding to Help the Homeless?
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VA Announces $4 Million in Funding to Help the Homeless
WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald announced the award of $4 million in renewal funding offered through the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program to 21 community agencies that currently provide enhanced services for homeless Veterans with special needs.
“These important grant renewals will allow community agencies to continue to provide critical transitional housing services where they are needed,” said VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. “As a key component of the VA’s plan to significantly reduce homelessness among Veterans, the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Special Need grants will provide funding to community agencies that provide services to homeless Veterans.
The program promotes the development and provision of supportive housing and services with the goal of helping homeless Veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and income, and obtain greater self-determination. Specifically, GPD Special Need grant funding will assist with additional operational costs that would not otherwise be incurred but for the fact that the recipient is providing transitional housing and services for the GPD “Special Need” populations, including women, chronically mentally ill, frail elderly, terminally ill, and individuals who have the care of minor dependents.
As a result of these and other efforts, Veteran homelessness is down significantly since the launch of the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness in 2010. The state of Connecticut and cities of New Orleans, Houston, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City have all recently announced the achievement of significant milestones related to ending Veteran homelessness.
More information about VA’s homeless programs is available at http://www.va.gov/homeless. Community organizations seeking details and/or more information may visit VA’s National Grant and Per Diem Program website http://www.va.gov/homeless/GPD.ASP.
WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald announced the award of $4 million in renewal funding offered through the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program to 21 community agencies that currently provide enhanced services for homeless Veterans with special needs.
“These important grant renewals will allow community agencies to continue to provide critical transitional housing services where they are needed,” said VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. “As a key component of the VA’s plan to significantly reduce homelessness among Veterans, the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Special Need grants will provide funding to community agencies that provide services to homeless Veterans.
The program promotes the development and provision of supportive housing and services with the goal of helping homeless Veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and income, and obtain greater self-determination. Specifically, GPD Special Need grant funding will assist with additional operational costs that would not otherwise be incurred but for the fact that the recipient is providing transitional housing and services for the GPD “Special Need” populations, including women, chronically mentally ill, frail elderly, terminally ill, and individuals who have the care of minor dependents.
As a result of these and other efforts, Veteran homelessness is down significantly since the launch of the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness in 2010. The state of Connecticut and cities of New Orleans, Houston, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City have all recently announced the achievement of significant milestones related to ending Veteran homelessness.
More information about VA’s homeless programs is available at http://www.va.gov/homeless. Community organizations seeking details and/or more information may visit VA’s National Grant and Per Diem Program website http://www.va.gov/homeless/GPD.ASP.
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Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 11
I just had a thought. Seeing as how the US Government is thinking of using old, closed down bases in Europe for all those refugees, why don't we take that page and use it for the homeless vets. Take those closed down (yet still have money coming in for upkeep) and house the homeless vets there. And give them jobs to take care of the base.
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MSG (Join to see)
Cpl Chris Rice - Perhaps in a manner, yes. Lets look at it this way. Those stateside bases that were closed but still receive funds for upkeep and maintenance, other than being a drain on funds for no other reason but to keep them looking nice should be put to use in a manner that really justifies the money. Hence, take all the homeless vets and put them back on base. This has certain advantages (and even some disadvantages as well I will admit) such as: 1) For those that miss the military presence, being back on base and in barracks may put their minds at ease; 2) Those barracks and housing gives them a roof, shower, and laundry facilities. 3) Open up those clinics and dfacs again and they have access to food and medicine; 4) If they have family that is concerned and unsure of the vets safety and welfare, they are now at a location that they can visit and help care for them.
Certainly many kinks and wrinkles would have to be ironed out prior to implementing this kind of idea, but I think the general idea is sound and has some merit to it.
Certainly many kinks and wrinkles would have to be ironed out prior to implementing this kind of idea, but I think the general idea is sound and has some merit to it.
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SGT (Join to see)
MSG (Join to see), That sounds too simple and logical for the government to follow up on, but it's a damn good idea.
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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That is sad as those vets will never see a penny or a home from that money given their past track record, heartbreaking.
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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Yes I'm aware of it. I currently work for the Mental Health & Homeless Issues division of Orange County Government, Orlando, FL. However I am personally working with a veteran in a transitional living situation who I have been able to do more for in our two weeks together than the VA. They have not contacted him yet after two weeks. Just a general call out to my veteran friends in Central Florida has yielded $600.00 in cash donations to help support him until he can get his first paycheck (tomorrow). To date the VA and local homeless services have not provided one dime for this young man.
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SGT (Join to see)
CPL Glynnda White, Sorry to say, but don't hold your breath. They work in very slow, mysterious ways, that suck.
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CPL Glynnda White
Yes, I have found much more help for this young man than received from VA. He is currently working, independent and working on getting started in school. Thank God. One of the things I love about vets.....they go ahead and get stuff done without waiting for the bureaucratic idiots to get involved.....have a happy new year.
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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Well, after all the paperwork and hiring new people to handle this funding, I would be surprised if more than $100,000 reached the actual homeless.
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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Sounds like another scam to me. hundreds of employees "administering " and very little help for vets. The Secretary wasn't even bothered by dead bodies on the lawn while he and his wife were jaunting about Europe with money that is supposed to help the homeless
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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I would recommend that all the abandoned military housing, barracks and family housing be renovated and provided rent free to any homeless veteran needing shelter. The veteran would only be responsible for basic up keep and utilities in houses and totally free in renovated barracks. I know where there are a couple of old barracks sitting empty now.
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SSG Edward Tilton
Marin County, Ca. converted the enlisted housing on Hamilton Field to low income housing.
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Susan Foster
SSG Edward Tilton - I think one of the biggest homeless vet populations is Hawaii and there are also unused places there. Great idea.
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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SSgt Jim Gilmore
SSG Edward Tilton - That housing conversion on the former Hamilton AFB is anything but low income housing. I worked that area for years and saw its redevelopment from a barely used former Air Base to a rich little community within the city of Novato. I wish it were developed as affordable housing but it isn't.
Another area that COULD have been redeveloped is the former Skaggs Island Navy Base and also Mare Island. Sadly, Skaggs was razed and Mare Island is another $500K cookie cutter complex.
Another area that COULD have been redeveloped is the former Skaggs Island Navy Base and also Mare Island. Sadly, Skaggs was razed and Mare Island is another $500K cookie cutter complex.
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Good. I'd like to see us tackle this as a country. And if I were the VA, I'd like to know exactly what that's buying. They might get some good ideas from different communities that will help other in what works, and what doesn't.
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Susan Foster
SGT (Join to see) - It does. I think it's a real failure for us to have homeless vets. I can believe it that there are a lot of homeless who are mentally ill, and for some reason that's their "home". But with vets--I think we owe it to them to do what we can.
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SSG Eddye Royal
I have people or Groups that have asked me to be apart of their organization because of the connections to help veterans. I am glad to do so, and get some back on their way to be as independent as possible, and not be in a home, and out of sight out of mind.
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SGT (Join to see)
Susan Foster - Oh I do too. I’ll do whatever I can to help any vet. I was, and still am bothered by the VA shutting down the domicile they put in service to help vets get off the drugs and the streets. I’m just glad some of them went on to become self sufficient before the VA shut the door. Also, the people running the domicile were homeless vets when they started going there, and did so well, the VA was paying them to keep it going. They lost their jobs too.
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SGT (Join to see)
SSG Eddye Royal - That’s great Eddye. We all should do as much as we can to help our less fortunate vets, if they want the help. It’s sad a lot of them have given up and accept their way of life. I often think about how they must have looked while in the service, and being proud of themselves. It’s really sad. I’m just blessed I got help and accepted it when I needed it.
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