Homeless Veterans Housing First Model
Veterans
for Peace officially began our pilot program Housing First
November 2009. We currently operate a residential duplex that is home to five veterans. This duplex is a model of what we beleive veterans housing can look like.
The Housing First Program is designed to bring the veteran off the street and into safe and secure housing first and then in a coordinated effort work on the individual supportive services that may be needed.
Comprehensive VFP programs provide:
- Nutritious meals where the veteran has the choice of selection and preparation.
- Essential physical health care, substance abuse aftercare and mental health counseling either with enrollment in the Veterans Administration or local agencies.
- Job assessment, training and placement assistance for the veterans.
Veterans helping veterans
Each house has a manager who is a veteran that we have been working
with
over the last year and has been achieving success in their own
life and
now will take on the daily running of the home. This is a veteran
helping veteran approach that we believe works best. With positive
role
models and mentors that help with personal development and empowerment,
each veteran can reach their highest level of self management.
Our
housing provides the camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free
environments with fellow veterans who are succeeding at bettering
themselves.
We
provide the support, resources and opportunities most Americans take for granted:
housing, employment and health care. Veterans who
participate in these programs will have a higher chance of becoming
productive citizens again.
Visit our web site dedicated to
Homeless Veterans
This is a large project - funding needed
Having no government funding we exist entirely on donations and small grants from foundations such as Forest County Potawatomiwhich has provided generous support to our veterans programs.
The house was furnished entirely with donations of furniture and household items from individuals in the community.
Now we need monetary funding for rental assistance and our food program.
And with food delivery to over 80 veterans a week, volunteers to deliver food are needed.