WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today identified recipients of approximately $31 million in grants as part of VA’s Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program.  Recipients are community and faith-based organizations that provide critical services to homeless veterans.

“This year’s awards reach out to groups assisting homeless veterans with special needs, such as those coping with chronic mental illness, those who care for young children and those with terminal illnesses,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi.  “VA is proud to help coordinate with other organizations to help end chronic homelessness for veterans in America.”

Thirty-nine programs in 17 states and the District of Columbia have been named to share $18 million in grants.  These first-time “special needs” grants will assist non-profit and faith-based organizations providing services to homeless veterans who are women, caretakers of minor children, elderly, terminally ill or who have a chronic mental illness.

In addition, VA is providing nearly $13 million to medical centers to enhance collaboration with the grant recipients assisting those specific homeless populations.

VA is also providing grants to community-based agencies in eight states for renovations needed to improve safety of veterans as identified in the Life Safety Codes of the National Fire Protection Association. 

Grants of $1.5 million will help the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans in Washington, D.C., and Public Resources, Inc., in Staten Island, N.Y., to provide technical assistance to non-profit and faith-based organizations and Native American tribal governments. 

A summary of approved projects is attached.  More information about VA’s Homeless Assistance Programs and Initiatives can be found at http://www.va.gov/homeless.

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Special Need: Chronically Mentally Ill 

State

City

Agency

Special Need Population

Ark.

Little Rock

St. Francis House, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Ariz.

Tucson

Esperanza En Escalante

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Calif.

Los Angeles

Salvation Army, a California Corporation

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Oakland

Operation Dignity, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

San Francisco

Swords to Plowshares

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

San Jose

Emergency Housing Consortium of Santa Clara County

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Conn.

Bridgeport

Applied Behavioral Rehabilitation Institute, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Ind.

Indianapolis

Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Mass.

Boston

Vietnam Veterans Workshop, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Leeds

United Veterans of America, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

N.Y.

Schenectady

Altamont Program, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Ohio

Cleveland

Volunteers of America of Northeast and North Central Ohio

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Texas

El Paso

Opportunity Center for the Homeless

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Fort Worth

Presbyterian Night Shelter of Tarrant County, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Houston

United States Veterans Initiative, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Utah

Salt Lake City

First Step House, Inc.

chronically mentally ill homeless veterans

Special Need: Women, including women who have care of minor dependents

State

City

Agency

Special Need Population

Calif.

Long Beach

United States Veterans Initiative, Inc.

women homeless veterans

Los Angeles

Salvation Army, a California Corporation

women homeless veterans

San Diego

Vietnam Veterans of San Diego

women homeless veterans

Santa Rosa

Vietnam Veterans of California

women homeless veterans

Fla.

Tampa

Agency for Community Treatment Services, Inc.

women homeless veterans

Mass.

Leeds

United Veterans of America, Inc.

women homeless veterans

Ohio

Cleveland

West Side Catholic Center

women homeless veterans

Pa.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service and Education Ctr.

women homeless veterans

Special Need: Frail Elderly

State

City

Agency

Special Need Population

Calif.

Los Angeles

Volunteers of America of Los Angeles, Inc.

frail elderly homeless veterans

Mass.

Boston

Vietnam Veterans Workshop, Inc.

frail elderly homeless veterans

N.Y.

Bayshore

United Veterans Beacon House

frail elderly homeless veterans

Special Need: Terminally Ill

State

City

Agency

Special Need Population

Mass.

Fitchburg

Veteran Hospice Homestead, Inc

terminally ill homeless veterans

N.C.

Greensboro

Servant Center

terminally ill homeless veterans

State

City

Agency

Grant Type

Hawaii

Kapolei

United States Veterans Initiative, Inc.

Life Safety Code

Ill.

East St. Louis

Eagles Nest of St. Clair County

Life Safety Code

La.

New Orleans

Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans

Life Safety Code

Mass.

Worcester

Massachusetts Veterans, Inc.

Life Safety Code

N.C.

High Point

Caring Services

Life Safety Code

N.Y.

Rochester

Veterans Outreach Center, Inc.

Life Safety Code

Pa.

Erie

Erie United Methodist Alliance

Life Safety Code

Tenn.

Nashville

Operation Stand Down Nashville, Inc.

Life Safety Code

Technical Assistance Grantees

State

City

Agency

Grant Type

D.C.

Washington

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

Technical Assistance

N.Y.

Staten Island

Public Resources, Inc.

Technical Assistance