Tools

More Veterans Off the Streets and Into Homes

by KREX News Room
by Amanda Brandeis

Story Created: Sep 14, 2012 at 7:06 PM MDT

Story Updated: Sep 16, 2012 at 9:21 AM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- In 2009 the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki set a national goal to eliminate all homelessness of veterans by 2015. Mesa County has been active in making sure this goal is reached.

As winter approaches this year, more veterans can say that they have a home.

Paul Sweeney, the public relations officer for the VA Medical Center, said, "The community should be excited about this because it is not only a solution for our veterans, but it's a very successful solution."

Programs like the housing choice voucher program have reduced the number of homeless veterans on the streets in Mesa County.

"We've recently just got another 40 of these vouchers, I mean, very recently. We already have 10 of those in use so we now have 140 vouchers here in Grand Junction," Sweeney said.

In addition to homes being a place to sleep every night, they can also make other huge changes in veterans' lives.

Rebecca Hewett, a licensed practical nurse at the VA Medical Center, said, "It keeps them out of the bad weather. They're warmer, they're safer."

Sweeney also said, "If someone is an alcoholic, if they are on the streets a lot of times it's so much easier for them to reach for a bottle, whereas if they have a home, it's not the same environment and it leads to success stories."

Advocates in Grand Junction are taking national goals even further.

"The national goal is getting all of our veterans off the street. But I think here in Grand Junction, as a community, our goal is getting everyone off the streets," said Sweeney.

"I have one veteran who has been homeless for quite a bit of his adult life and now has a place to sleep every night and he doesn't have to worry about getting to the shelter," Hewett said.

There is still more work to be done, but officials working to get veterans homes say their efforts are working, and look forward to where we will be at this time next year.

You have indicated this comment should be removed.

Close

The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .

Tomas Medina said on Sunday, Sep 16 at 1:07 PM

Im a veteran from the Bay Area CA with a HUD/VASH voucher but cant do anything with it because I have bad credit jut got back from the StandDown in Pleasenton CA where it was no use for me since I dont have traffic tickets nor a criminal record needed credit help and thats one thing they dont offer can you help or point me in a direction that can? USMC vet

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KREX - News, Weather, Sports for Grand Junction | Montrose | Glenwood Springs - Coverage You Can Count On and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

Most Popular
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
News Channel 5 Weather