The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki, toured Jacksonville on Wednesday to see how federal funding was being used to help him reach his goal of ending veteran homelessness by 2015.
“President Obama’s commitment to veterans is unwavering and deep. Jacksonville, in my opinion, is one of the great examples in the fight against veterans’ homelessness,” said Shinseki.
Veterans Affairs recently awarded $1 million in homeless prevention grants in the City of Jacksonville, which was part of $100 million in grants nationwide under the Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) program. The Jacksonville grants will serve about 430 homeless and at-risk veteran families associated with Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition of Jacksonville.
Veterans Affairs also works with community partners, including the Clara White Mission and Volunteers of America to provide transitional housing.
“I am so encouraged by the momentum here,” said Shineski.
U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw was impressed with the range of services provided by the Clara White Mission.
“You not only meet the immediate needs of the homeless, but you can also train them for a job that will help their future,” said Crenshaw.
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown presented a sobering statistic.
“What’s most disturbing to me is that one third of the people we see on the street are veterans and we need to work together to change that,” said Brown.
The mission’s CEO/President Ju’Coby Pittman explained how the programs offered at Clara White help to change lives.
“The programs are not only a safety net, but we also have programs that help people stabilize their lives and get back to being productive citizens of a community,” said Pittman.
Mayor Alvin Brown expressed the appreciation the City, including its companies, has for veterans in the community.
“Eighty companies have signed up to get veterans back to work. We understand the impact the military has on Jacksonville. Over 3,000 members of the military retire in Jacksonville annually,” said Brown.
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