Mission is to assist local military veterans and their families at risk for homelessness
CINCINNATI (September 19, 2012) — The Secretary of Veterans Affairs recently awarded nearly $600,000 to three private nonprofit organizations in the greater Cincinnati area. The funding, awarded to a partnership between Strategies to End Homelessness, Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries and the Healing Center at Vineyard Community Church, will provide supportive services to local veterans and their families beginning Oct. 1.
In Cincinnati, the homeless services system and other federal funding for homeless services is coordinated by Strategies to End Homelessness, which collaborated in applying for this grant. This funding will be used by low-income veteran families who are living in or transitioning to permanent housing. By partnering with Strategies to End Homelessness and its Central Access Point hotline, Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries will be able to reach out to and connect with at-risk veterans and their families, and then provide those families with case management, financial assistance, help in securing VA support and other benefits.
“There are many families of military veterans in our area who are at-risk of losing their housing,” said Kevin Finn, executive director for Strategies to End Homelessness. “In 2011, 13 percent of our local homeless population was veterans. Through this collaboration, we’ll bring the resources of three organizations together toward the goal of stabilizing veterans and their families before they become homeless.”
In 2009, the Federal government released the Opening Doors Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, which calls for an end to veteran homelessness by 2015. In an effort to achieve this goal, this is the second year that the Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded this Supportive Services for Veterans and Families (SSVF) funding.
“This grant is significant because it expands our reach beyond veterans to their families as well,” said Bill Darnell, grants manager at Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries. “Our goal is to work together to make this program a long-term success.”
During the application process, the partnership estimated that they will be able to assist nearly 200 families per year with these funds. In addition to stabilizing housing, the Healing Center will provide other necessary resources to help shore up the finances for the veterans’ families.
“The supportive services for veterans families grant allows us to assist families with a wide range of services, including emergency food and clothing, help with resume building, job coaching and job leads, tutoring, computer training, as well as other types of urgently needed support,” said Judy Gillens, executive director of the Healing Center. “We’re proud to be able to pull our resources together and provide important support for our local military veterans and their families.”
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About Strategies to End Homelessness
Established in 2007, Strategies to End Homelessness coordinates services and funding toward the goal of ending homelessness in Hamilton County, Ohio. End Homelessness leads the strategic planning efforts, as well as the design and implementation of community-based programs that prevent at-risk households from becoming homeless, assists homeless people into housing, thereby reducing the recurrence of homelessness. The efforts of End Homelessness are undertaken through a coordinated system that includes the effective use of homelessness prevention services, street outreach, emergency shelter, rapid re-housing, transitional and permanent supportive housing, and services-only programs. For more information, please visit https://www.strategiestoendhomelessness.org/.
About Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries
For more than twenty years, Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries has been offering programs and services to meet the needs of veterans and homeless individuals. Last year (2011), Ohio Valley Goodwill provided service to more than 650 veterans and homeless individuals. For more information on Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries, please visit www.cincinnatigoodwil.org.
About The Healing Center
The Healing Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the under-resourced in Greater Cincinnati since 2008. The Center offers caring relationship along with the practical tools needed to help people take their next step toward positive change and future success. Over 800 volunteers serve close to 4,000 men, women, and children each month, providing access to over 40 services, with the goal of helping families break the cycle of poverty. Resources for families include emergency assistance (such as food, clothing, and auto repair), job coaching, tutoring, computer instruction, educational programs and training, financial counseling, mentoring, and a variety of basic health care services. For more information, please visit http://www.healingcentercincinnati.org/.
