Homeless Veterans

Homeless Veterans discover the deep bonds humans and horses form through a unique form of interaction. The language of touch. Here’s how the basic emotion of trust helped these heroes.

Charles Murray used to lug his heavy 12-year-old laptop 3 miles on his bike for his VA telehealth appointments. He now connects with his care team via VA Video Connect from a VA-connected iPad at home.

Amanda Frelka-Bruch brought a homeless man lunch. She was flabbergasted to learn he was a Veteran who had served two tours in Afghanistan. Her sister, a VA nurse, suggested how she could help.

Army Veteran Harry Low has always been on a mission to save other people. His mission started in 1988, when he followed two older brothers in the service. He was a combat medic in an engineering unit, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. By 1992, Low’s mission to care for military ended when he left the Army. He picked up a new mission, caring for Veterans as a VA employee.

Middle school student Dylan Barbour had an assignment to “Be the Change.” His dad worked at the VA hospital so he had an idea. Several weeks later he came to the hospital with 400 pairs of socks.

Social workers from the Amarillo VA Housing First Program found grants available from community organizations. They were able to pay every bill for every Veteran and prevent the loss of their homes.

VA Voluntary Service says thank you for more than $25 million in gifts and donations to VA designated for COVID-19 support. Communities and organizations nationwide help Veterans and their families.

Specialists at VA New England Health Care for Homeless Veterans are starting to look ahead to the winter months to best reach homeless Veterans in need with supplies and access to VA health care.

Reno VA has held its Homeless Veteran Stand Down for 12 years. This year, restrictions and unhealthy smoke required some quick changes.175 homeless Veterans were served and most received flu shots.

Veterans of the VA Eastern Colorado domiciliary program are experiencing therapeutic benefits from their garden. It helps those Veterans at risk of homelessness served by a clinical care team.

Charles Franklin created Rideshare to help homeless Veterans get to job interviews and find housing opportunities. When COVID-19 came to America, he adapted the network of ridesharing services.

VA provides a full range of programs and services to help Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness secure stable housing and achieve independence. These resources are vital for all Veterans, especially women: homelessness among female Veterans increased by 2% between 2018 and 2019, while homelessness among male Veterans declined by 3% during the same period.