We love our veterans! You’d be hard pressed to find more true heroes, willing to put life and limb on the line to preserve our freedoms and the American way of life. And let’s not forget their families, either, who sacrifice a lot in their own way! Unfortunately, veteran homelessness is a growing problem that really needs some new solutions.
Here are Five Fast Facts about Washington state veteran homelessness:
- 🎖️How Big Is The Need? In January 2020 there were almost 23,000 people who were homeless in our state. Over 1,600 of them were veterans. 😱
- 💰How Much Is Spent Currently? Around $2 billion is spent by the state on various forms of veteran care. Too bad all that money isn’t solving the problem!
- 🏠Where To Start? Data clearly shows that addressing housing needs first is essential in reducing homelessness, even more than “treatment first” options. Security and stability start with a home!
- 🧑💼What Programs Are There? There are a lot of programs doing good work for our vets. One of them is the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP). It began in 1987, but in 2018 Congress expanded the eligibility requirements. This allowed charities to get grants and help more vets who weren’t previously eligible. GOOD!
- 💼🏢🏘️What Do They Do? Organizations in the HVRP connect with veterans and provide critical help in the form of things like career plans, training, professional clothing, or transportation (or anything else they might need), as well as a dedicated caseworker to help them get back into civilian life. They also provide…***da da da daaaa*** housing!
🔥Bottom line: The HVRP is an example of how we need to do things a bit differently to take care of our vets. Lots of our tax dollars are already being spent to help them, but it’s not enough if the money isn’t spent effectively. We need to figure out better ways to utilize that money so its impact is real, and as big as possible. If we can’t help our homeless vets, who can we help?
What are your thoughts on this program, or veteran homelessness in general?
Let us know by connecting with us on Social Media and be sure to share this newsletter with any friends & coworkers!
Btw, If you’ve read this far and haven’t yet signed up for the weekly Paycheckology newsletter, CLICK HERE!
