#Middlebury #Veterans
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development says that overall veteran homelessness is down 5.4 percent this year and is half of what it was in 2010. That still leaves a lot of veterans without a place to call home.
In some states the homeless rate has actually increased. Montana, for example, saw a rise of 20 percent in the past two years. New Mexico was up a whopping 35.5 percent, and New Hampshire rose 16.3 percent.
Not only is homelessness among veterans not completely fixed, but winter is here. Consider whether you can help.
Even though most large towns have homeless shelters, not all veterans want to stay in one. Or perhaps the shelter rules say they must leave during daytime hours.
Your first step is to call local shelters. Ask about their veteran population and join up with crews that go out into the community seeking veterans who need help. Assistance can include bringing them in from the cold during daytime hours, hooking them up with veterans services, giving them warm coats and blankets, or even handing out hot coffee and sandwiches.
You might run into objections to going into a shelter. Example: Maybe a veteran has a dog. Finding a rescue foster home for the dog might convince the veteran to go into a shelter where he or she will be closer to available services. Your argument can be that the sooner the veteran gets stable housing, the faster he can be reunited with his pooch.
If you want to help homeless veterans, keep these two websites handy: The Homeless Assistant (www.thehomelessassistant.com) and Homeless Accommodation (www.homelessaccommodation.com). Their info is accurate and helpful for my state and town, so ideally it’s just as accurate for yours. Keep this number in your wallet: Homeless Veteran Services at the VA, 1-877-424-3838.
© 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.
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