Article Contributed on: 7/31/2009 2:13:43 PM
Homeless veterans receive job training and employment through grant awarded to Denver County Veteran Services Office
DENVER, CO -- July 31, 2009 - For the third time in 6 years, the Denver County Veteran Services Office was awarded a grant from the Department of Labor in the amount of $299,691 annually towards reintegration, training and job placement for homeless veterans from July 1, 2009 to March 31, 2011. The Denver County Veteran Services Office was one of 98 recipients throughout the United States to receive the grant.
The funds will be used to assist veterans who are experiencing homelessness, which enables them to find and keep employment. The Denver County Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP) assesses over 600 veterans for eligibility and enrolls approximately 300 veterans into the program each year with an employment placement rate of approximately 70 percent. During the last three-year cycle, HVRP clients collectively earned $2,500,000 per year in gross wages.
"This funding is extremely important for us to be able to assist homeless veterans who are motivated to re-enter the workforce and mainstream society so that they can receive training, job placement and support," said Denver County Veteran Services Officer George Cassidy. "It doesn't matter how veterans got into the situation they are in; they served and they deserve to be served."
The Denver County Veteran Services Office actively pursues grant opportunities to holistically serve homeless veterans. HVRP grant dollars are used to provide supportive services to those enrolled in the program in the form of work-related clothing and tools, recertification fees, monthly bus passes and product vouchers.
Housing assistance is funded by a Veterans Trust Fund grant, which houses between 90 and 120 HVRP clients a year; who find and retain employment through the program. Referrals to permanent housing are available to veterans in a position to take over rent responsibility for themselves.
There has been a recent increase in the number of homeless veterans applying for the HVRP. Historically, the average number of applications per quarter was 150, and in the time period of January to March 2009, the number of applications doubled to 300. As of the end of July 2009, the beginning of first quarter of the fiscal year, 78 applications have already been received. At that rate, it is projected that the number of applications for the first quarter may be over 200.
"There could be many factors attributed to the application increase," said Cassidy. "In the winter we expect to see an increase due to less outside work available, but we didn't expect to see the number double. More homeless veterans may be hearing about the program, and there may be more veterans who are homeless due to the economic downturn. What is clear is that the demand is there and I am optimistic that we can help them find housing and employment."
The Denver County HVRP program accomplishments are due to the diligent work of the case managers and program coordinator, all of whom are veterans, and the strong collaborative partnerships formed with other agencies and organizations throughout the Denver metro area.
"In fact everything we do is made possible through our partnerships both inside Denver Human Services and within the larger Denver community," said Cassidy.
Denver County HVRP has been recognized as a National Best Practices program by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.
For more information, call Denver County HVRP at 720-944-3500 or visit the new Denver County Veteran Services Office Web site, www.denverveterans.org.