The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced $600 million for local groups serving homeless veterans in order to meet 2015 deadline to end veterans' homelessness
WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — The Disabled Veterans National Foundation (www.dvnf.org), a nonprofit veterans service organization that focuses on helping men and women who serve and return home wounded or sick after defending our safety and our freedom, is expressing optimism with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) declaration of $600 million for local veterans nonprofit organizations, so it can meet its goal to end homelessness by 2015.
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The funding is part of the VA's Support Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) initiative. The more than half a billion in funding comes as the VA's goal to end homelessness by 2015 enters its final stretch.
Of that money, $300 million will be released in 2014, saving the rest for the final year of the initiative. The money is intended to go to nonprofit organizations throughout the country that serve low-income veterans at serious risk of homelessness.
Since the President's 2010 announcement to end homelessness among veterans, the total number of homeless veterans has been cut by nearly a quarter. However, as of November 2013, it is estimated that more than 57,000 veterans still remain homeless.
"I am pleased at the progress that has already been made in the fight to end veteran homelessness, and am happy to see that the VA is taking this goal very seriously," said DVNF CEO, Joseph VanFonda (Sgt. Maj. Ret.). "It is especially important that the VA is giving this funding to local organizations who have a real stake in the communities they serve. They are the ones with the boots on the ground and they will now be better equipped to handle the load."
SSVF funding served more than 39,000 veterans in FY2013. VanFonda also expressed optimism that the ambitious goal of ending homelessness by 2015 can still be achieved, despite the work that still needs to be done.
For more, go to www.dvnf.org.
Media Contact:
Doug Walker, Communications Director, 202-737-0522 Email