Last week I listened to a VA webinar on Veteran Homelessness. They started out with some national statistics: from 2010 to 2023 there was a 52% decrease in veteran homelessness, 54% decrease in those sheltered, 49% decrease in those not sheltered. In real numbers, in 2023, 35,000 veterans were homeless, 20,000 sheltered, and 15,500 unsheltered.

While those numbers are promising, the numbers reflect the homeless veterans we know about, but there are many more that go uncounted. Normally, to be eligible for VA services, you have to have served two years of active service and have other than a dishonorable discharge, and then have been exposed to toxic chemicals, or have a service connected medical issue, or have an income below a certain level. But, in the case of homeless veterans, the VA waives all of that.  It doesn’t matter how long you served or what kind of discharge the veteran received. Frankly, that is refreshing! Especially in this volunteer military, when a person raised their right hand and swore the oath, they were committed to serve their country. If things happened after that which affect time in service or character of discharge, the VA programs for homeless veterans still apply. The goal is to eliminate veteran homelessness, period. 

On the webinar, the VA went on to describe all the various programs that deal with veteran homelessness, many are grants to agencies to administer. I counted 13 of them, and all were acronyms like HCHV, CRRC, NCCHV, SSVF, and so one.  Of course, the grants are contracts awarded to agencies and non-profits. Grants come with their own bureaucracy often delaying the time to actually provide the service. But, there are a few non-profits that can operate outside this box and provide service now. 

Ed Harmon with his V.E.T.S. trailers is one of them. If a veteran is homeless and has a place to park the trailer, Ed moves the trailer immediately; and anywhere in the state! I’ve mentioned Maine Veterans in Need (MVN). As a co-founder and recently elected president, our goal is to provide immediate relief to a veteran who is homeless to ensure he/she is in a stable environment. MVN is connected with all the other resources so we do what we can to do a warm hand-off to the appropriate agencies who can provide long term help. Ed and I work closely together. Frequently, Ed and the veteran have to find a place to put the trailer so in the meantime, MVN can place the veteran in a hotel. While Ed has provided the temporary shelter, the veteran may need gas to be able to get to work or make medical appointments. MVN can provide the gas gift cards and food cards if necessary. Since MVN does not operate on government grants, donations are critical. Be part of the solution to end veteran homelessness, please consider donating to MVN. Checks made out to: MVN and send to 62 Pegasus St., Brunswick, ME 04011. 

The next Post meeting is Monday, April 11, dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting at 6.