WASHINGTON – Homeless veterans in Maryland will have greater access to assistance, thanks to two grants totaling $44,522 awarded by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to Way Station Inc. of Hagerstown.
“Only through a dedicated partnership with community- and faith-based organizations can we hope to end homelessness among veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson. “Maryland veterans answered their country’s call to serve during its greatest times of need, and now some live without shelter. This grant will help them get back on the road to self-reliance.”
Way Station will operate a van to provide transportation to homeless veterans and will also operate at 895 Washington Street in Hagerstown. The van and facility will allow veterans to obtain access to services such as job training and referrals, as well as mental health and substance abuse treatments within the community.
Way Station’s grants for this project are among 52 grants recently announced by VA worth nearly $11.6 million to public, private non-profit and faith-based groups for programs assisting homeless veterans.
This latest round of grants brings the number of community-based beds to more than 10,000, provided by public and community non-profit and faith-based organizations with VA funding in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
VA has the largest integrated network of homeless assistance programs in the country. It is the only federal agency that provides substantial one-on-one contact with the homeless. In many cities and rural areas, VA social workers and other clinicians conduct extensive outreach programs, clinical assessments, medical treatment, alcohol and drug abuse counseling and employment assistance.
