VA Secretary Bob McDonald today announced the award of nearly $93 million in Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) 3-year grants that will help approximately 45,000 homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families. The grants will be distributed to 24 non-profit agencies in 15 communities, with $30 million in awards being distributed to the Los Angeles area.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs is committed to using evidence-based approaches such as SSVF to prevent homelessness and produce successful outcomes for Veterans and their families,” said Secretary McDonald. “This is a program that works, because it allows VA staff and local homeless service providers to work together to effectively address the unique challenges that make it difficult for some Veterans and their families to remain stably housed.”

Under the SSVF program, VA is awarding grants to private, non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that provide services to very low-income Veteran families living in – or transitioning to – permanent housing.  The grants announced today will provide additional resources to the fourth year operations of the SSVF program.

“With the addition of these crucial resources, communities across the country continue an historic drive to prevent and end homelessness among Veterans,” said Matthew Doherty, Acting Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.  “The SSVF program gives Veterans and their families the rapid assistance they need to remain in permanent housing or get back into permanent housing as quickly as possible.”

Through the homeless Veterans initiative, VA committed more than $1 billion in FY 2014 to strengthen programs that prevent and end homelessness among Veterans. VA provides a range of services to homeless Veterans, including health care, housing, job training and education.

More information about VA’s homeless programs is available at www.va.gov/homeless.  Details about the SSVF program are online at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.

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2 Comments

  1. Mark Barron April 19, 2015 at 23:42

    I may lose my shelter b/c I am taking care of a WWII veteran Father & Mother who are 91 w/ heart failure dementia & a 89 yr.old Mother whose has Alztimers …their health is deteriorating rapidly. I myself am a veteran who has been determined to be disabled out side of service with age and an exacerbated condition I acquired while I was in boot camp , and if they pass away I will be homeless , i am in serious financial limbo w/o a job,disabled and I am very worried that if I lose them I will be Homeless …is there any program I can start applying to at least get on a list for housing assistance in the near future . Please reply …Thank You !

    Mark Barron

  2. Duane A Perry March 31, 2015 at 19:02

    You never help or find the veterans in true need!!!!

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