Initiative targets 115,000 homeless and at-risk Vets and families

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald today announced the award of approximately $300 million in grants that will help approximately 115,000 homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families. The grants will be distributed to 301 community agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

6760997621_bdb4b45838_bUnder the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (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. Those community organizations provide a range of services that promote housing stability among eligible very low income Veteran families (those making less than 50 percent of the area median income). The grants announced today will fund the fourth year of the SSVF program.

“By working with community non-profit organizations, we have enlisted valuable partners in our fight to end homelessness,” said McDonald. “The work of SSVF grantees has already helped thousands of homeless Veterans and their families find homes and thousands more have been able to stay in their own homes.”

Under the terms of the grants, homeless providers will offer Veterans and their family members outreach, case management, assistance in obtaining VA benefits and assistance in receiving other public benefits. Community-based groups can offer temporary financial assistance on behalf of Veterans for rent payments, utility payments, security deposits and moving costs.

In 2009, President Obama announced the federal government’s goal to end Veterans’ homelessness by 2015. The grants are intended to help accomplish that goal. According to the 2013 Point-in-Time estimates, homelessness among Veterans has declined 24 percent since 2010.


HUD and VA reach out to D.C. homeless community, Veterans

“We want to make sure our Veterans receive the care and support that they have earned and deserve,” McDonald added. “This is a program that, indeed, makes a difference.”

Through the Eliminating Veteran Homelessness Initiative, VA committed over $1 billion in fiscal year (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.

The SSVF program has been operating over the last three years:

  • In FY 2012, its first year of operations, with $60 million in funding awarded in FY 2011, SSVF served more than 35,000 participants in 40 states and the District of Columbia, of whom 3,416 were Vets who had never before accessed VA services.
  • Through awards made at the end of FY 2012, in FY 2013, SSVF expanded to $100 million and 151 grantees in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
  • In FY 2013, SSVF served more than 65,000 participants.  In FY 2014, SSVF expects to serve approximately 115,000 participants.
  • VA offered the FY 2014 SSVF NOFA at approximately $300 million in FY 2014 funds. In FY 2015, SSVF expects to serve approximately 115,000 participants.

8447466991_a0d3c648c0_kNotably, in a follow-up of SSVF participants one year after discharge from the program, 89 percent of single Veterans and 93 percent of Veteran families who received SSVF prevention assistance did not have a reported return to homelessness; for homeless Veterans that received rapid rehousing assistance, 84 percent of single persons and 90 percent of families did not have a documented return to homelessness one year after exiting the SSVF program. Of those exiting SSVF, 84 percent have permanent housing.

More information about VA’s homeless programs is available at www.va.gov/homeless.  Details about the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program are online at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.ssvf

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8 Comments

  1. James Harris September 1, 2014 at 16:57

    The. VA will find a way for allocated money to end up in the hands of crooked campaign contributors. I have begged for any kind of assistance with no response. I spent 1 year trying to get medical records and can prove that they have been altered and they have effectively ruined any chance of legal recourse due to the time limits. You evil rotten bastards

  2. desconto Submarino August 21, 2014 at 16:57

    These kind of initiatives help me to keep confidence in mankind. Thank you!

  3. Desiray Blackburn August 13, 2014 at 16:47

    Please do not let the V.A. use that money for bonuses for themselves, after all most V.A. employees act like this is their damn money. Try to make it work, please. I am a Veteran, disabled, I really want to see more human changes to the face of the V.A.

  4. Desiray Blackburn August 13, 2014 at 16:44

    Please do not letthe V.A. use that money for bonuses for themselves, after all most V.A. employees act like this is their damn money. Try to make it work, please. I am a Veteran, disabled, I really want to see more human changes to the face of the V.A.

  5. Jose F Arvizu Jr August 13, 2014 at 16:03

    Hi, I am a homeless veteran, with a heart condition. How can I get signed up to get this help?

  6. James Miller August 13, 2014 at 04:30

    These kind of initiatives help me to keep confidence in mankind. Thank you!

  7. Salvador balan August 12, 2014 at 19:28

    I’m on process of divorse but living sleeping in my car is there anything you can help me thank yoh

    • Yvonne Levardi August 14, 2014 at 16:38

      • VA has an aggressive Homeless program that works with Veterans to get them off the street, and into housing. You can learn more about it here: http://www.va.gov/homeless/
      • VA offers support for homeless Veterans. Please call 1-877-424-3838 or visit http://www.va.gov/homeless/ and they can work with you to get you off the street and into the care you need.
      • If you’re at imminent risk of becoming homeless please call the Veterans Homeless Hotline at 1-877-424-3838 or visit http://www.va.gov/homeless/. They can work with you to get you the support and aid you need to stay in your house.

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