Homelessness has been a major problem in the veteran community for decades, and both public and private sector organizations are working to quell the issue as quickly as possible. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that there were as many as 47,725 homeless veterans in January 2015. Although this did represent a 4 percent drop between 2014 and 2015, and a 35 percent decrease from 2009's figures, there is still much to be done in this fight.
Because of how complex the problem is, state, federal and local governments are all working to contribute their fair share to the reduction of homelessness in their veteran populations. The private sector has also been an important component in this battle, as businesses and others have raised significant funds and donated them to nonprofits or government entities that handle the legwork of ending homelessness among veterans.
A new shot of life
The New York Daily News recently reported that the Real Estate Bond of New York has donated $450,000 to New York City specifically for its projects related to homeless veterans, while another $300,000 were logged from other entities. According to the news provider, about $500,000 of that will be sent directly to the Veterans Housing Initiative, with pieces being used for other various matters such as helping servicemembers get the furniture they need.
The source pointed out that the remaining $250,000 of the total donation came from Deutsche Bank Americas, and much of this will be used to fuel a program called "Functional Zero" that involves the assurance that shelters are not getting overloaded. This particular city has been a bright point for the country, as The New York Daily News noted that the municipality has seen a 90 percent decrease in the number of homeless veterans since 2011.
Making a difference
ABC News reported on an Army veteran named Tony Jones who recently moved into an apartment after being homeless for roughly six years and has enjoyed a much greater standard of living since. The news provider explained that Jones, like 1,500 other veterans living in Washington, D.C., has moved into an apartment or house thanks to nonprofit organization Miriam's Kitchen.
The source noted that the case worker from the organization who was assigned to Jones, Emily Buzzell, believes her firm will effectively reduce veteran homelessness in the nation's capital before 2016 comes to a close.