How Do We Help Our Homeless Veterans?

I would like to see Rally Point help one of our own. A friend of mine and Veteran is right now struggling in Colorado for a place to live. A Go Fund Me site has been established. It doesn't take much but a little bit from a lot of people will mean nothing to all of us and it will mean EVERYTHING to this Vet and his Wife Lisa PLEASE HELP.. Lets go beyond talking and really make a difference by helping

http://www.gofundme.com/bloecherstoyoopee

My friends Eddie and Lisa Bloecher need you RIGHT NOW.. don't wait, get a fellow soldiers back

Thank you! Jeff

My wife works at the VA Hospital in Detroit, and advises me that the VA actually has a number of programs for Homeless Veterans. One of the best things we can do to help a homeless veteran is to give him, or her a ride to the nearest VA hospital to speak with a Veterans Service Organization officer, or to a VA Social Worker/Pt. Advocate. Here's some more information on VA Homeless programs.
http://www.va.gov/homeless/

Houston allows you to get a "panhandling permit", and there has been more than one complaint about observing these individuals after completion of their "shift" getting into their Mercedes or simular cars and driving away. Must be rewarding!

It's hard for me to tell if the person proclaiming to be a homeless vet is a homeless vet. The only homeless vets I know for sure are at the VA in the Homeless Reach Out program. I did something yesterday I've never done before. While leaving the VA a man standing on a corner had a sign which simply read " Vet Having Hard Times". I gave him some money and guess what? It felt great to help him whether he was a homeless vet or not. I've never ever given a dime to a street begger. Not that I will do it for every street person, but I don't feellike I'm getting ripped off like I did. Someone on RP pointed out that we can't control what is done with the money we give them, but we'll feel better if we do, and I did. I made this earlier.

I have never been what I consider homeless, although I did live in a tent down along side the Boise river in Caldwell for a month or so because I didn't have a real house. I've never gone hungry, although there have been a few times I wondered where my meal the next day would come from. When I was a kid, my Dad, who went through the great depression, told me: No matter now hard times are, you can always find job. It might not be what you want, but it will feed you and give you a place to stay. That has stuck with me my entire life and I've always been able to make do. After saying that I got a few questions and statements:
Are we homeless because we choose to be or because there is nothing else?
Is it life's situation we can't cope with or our state of mind?
Do we really want help or are we so drowned in pity we refuse help, even when given?
Do we choose to be homeless because we don't want to conform to society, rules, regulations, etc?
I don't know. I wish I had all the answers to the questions. I know much of it is mental and many just can't handle it, and we need to get them some help. I do believe there is a certain number of homeless who thrive on the "homeless" situation and don't want to pick themselves up and go.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not negative, but I'm just raising some questions which popped in my head. Being on the "verge" and even been one who's looked down the barrel of my .45 auto and thinking about pulling the trigger, I do understand. Sometimes I feel we must reach down and dig deep. Sometime we need some help when we dig deep to get back so we can grab the rim and pull ourselves out.

Force greedy people in CONgress and State Houses to kick loose some $$ by pressure at the ballot boxes, with Veterans organizations...

This weekend I am participating in a "Stand Down" during which homeless veterans are being transported to a facility where they can get a shower and a meal, and receive some care and one-on-one attention. It's a small relief from their drab existences, one day out of a year. But, I suppose, it's something.

Even this small benefit requires an organization, fund raising, volunteers, supplies, equipment, facility. Ultimately, therein lies the answer to the question at hand. All those who care and want to do something have to organize. That's the first step.

Think of it as a tactical operation. Think of the basic op order. The one advantage homeless veterans have is that other veterans care and no one is better at organizing and team work than those who have served. All we have to do is get off our duffs and serve.

Or you could wait for the government to do something. Sure...

By putting aside our busy lives and doing it a trip to the Dollar Store putting together a necessary kit and always having one or two in the trunk is a viable option... a extra Happy Meal goes a long way on a Cold day a kind word a polite conversation and yes 5 bucks for a room in a shelter for a night can save a life some night... it's not Rocket Science it's the Individual will to start somewhere...

There are two issues here: Perception and reality. America's perception of veterans can hinder helping them if it is adverse. As to the reality, sure there are better ways to help homeless veterans, none of which involve the government. They have failed veterans at every turn and there is no reasonable expectation that they will turn that around. Thus, it's up to us to help our brothers and sisters. I'm helping. Are you?

When Veterans are in the military, the chain of command is OBLIGATED (at the very least) to take care of the members of their unit. The best leaders go far beyond what is expected and individuals rely heavily on each other to get them through tough times. Once a member of the military leaves that safety net, they are thrown in with a civilian population that has a difficult time, despite most of their well-meaning intentions, understanding and helping them. They feel alienated and alone. They are tenacious, but it is an uphill battle to be able to learn a new language, relate their skills to such a foreign world, and stay motivated when their isn't one other person to lean on when they stumble and fall.
So, how do we help them? Creating strong and meaningful veteran relationships. Within the groups, there must be knowledgeable members that can liaise between veterans and Veteran-Focused Organizations, who have a hard time servicing veterans who have to overcome the stigma of needing help and lack the personnel to both help and find these veterans.
We help them by providing systems and organizations that provide purpose by deepening the relationships within organizations to a level that each will understand and be able to respond when help is needed.
Lastly, we help them by not treating them like a charity case. They would rather be homeless knowing that they did that on their own. They need a hand up and not a hand out. Sitting with them where they are and spending actual time and effort getting to know them as an individual rather than looking down on them and pitying them. None of us can be 100% positive that won't or couldn't be us one day. How would we want to be treated if we were homeless?