Veteran homelessness is still a major problem that affects tens of thousands of former servicemembers across the country. Fortunately, there are many efforts now under way to help those veterans get the stability and support they need. One location where that kind of help is becoming more available is New York City.
In a city famous for its high cost of living, veteran homelessness is a major problem, according to a report from the New York Daily News. To that end, the city government set up the Veterans Housing Initiative as part of its existing Mayor's Fund to Advance New York, which recently received sizable donations totaling $750,000. Of that money, $450,000 came from the Real Estate Board of New York. Another $50,000 came from a variety of other sources.
"The amount donated is nothing in comparison to what they (the vets) have already given," John Banks, REBNY president, told the newspaper.
A portion of that money will go to help veterans who were recently put into free housing get back on their feet with $1,000 gift cards to Target, the report said. Already, over the past five years the city says it has cut veteran homelessness by 90 percent, but still has quite a ways to go.
Another donation, in the form of a $250,000 grant from Deutsche Bank Americas, will be more directly focused at putting more homeless veterans into housing, the report said. Part of that will include finding permanent homes for veterans who lived on the streets for a year or more, as well as those who have been homeless at least four times in the last three years.
These efforts, not only in New York City but nationwide, could end up saving plenty of veterans' lives in a relatively short period of time.