Please accept this Request for Consideration from The Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania (VLP) (Federal Tax Exempt # 75-32359-0) to be a member of the economic impact study cohort sponsored by Allegheny Health Choices, Neighborhood Allies, United Way of Allegheny County, and The Forbes Funds. VLP is a Veteran-centric nonprofit organization headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. VLP’s mission is to provide essential housing, employment, and vital support services to eligible local Veterans, service members, and their families with the goal of improving their self-sufficiency, sustainability, and quality of life. Founded in 1982 as the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, VLP was born of the socioeconomic …show more content…
VLP is committed to ending Veteran homelessness and works tirelessly with their community partners, members of the communities they serve, as well as federal, state, and local government to reach that end. VLP also partners with local government and social service agencies to provide essential support services and referrals. VLP has been recognized by the United Way of Allegheny County (Agency of Excellence); National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (Agency of the Year); Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Outstanding Achievement by a Community Organization); and Call of Duty Endowment (Seal of Distinction). VLP is committed to giving our region’s Veterans access to the resources they need to improve the quality of their lives. It is Veterans Leadership Program’s vision to see a roof over every Veteran's head, employment for all Veterans who are able to work, and for all Veterans to not only achieve and maintain self-sufficiency, but to thrive. Until that day, Veterans Leadership Program will be there, ready to serve those who have served our
The WWP helps out veterans and their care takers with financial and unemployment needs. As executive Director Steven Nardizzi explained their mission was “To foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation's history” (WWP). By this they mean that they want to have the most veterans served than any other company or nonprofit while at the same time having the highest quality service. Over the last 10+ years the WWP [Wounded Warrior Project] has helped thousands of veterans and current soldiers who have been mentally or physically injured while in the United State Military. They will also help out ve...
The DVA provides the highest quality ensuring that all veterans and families receive the care and support they deserve by using people-centric, result-driv...
In the article, Numbers, it states, that the estimated number of homeless veterans in the United States was 200,000 (Lamarque). This article was based on the statistics of homeless veterans from 2006, meaning the number of homeless veterans has increased. This statistic represents how many veterans are homeless and how much is not being done about it. According to Veteran's Inc, between 529,000 and 840,000 veterans are homeless at sometime during the year. This means that since 2006, the number of homeless veterans have doubled, possibly even quadrupled over the past few years. Homeless veterans make up a huge portion of the homeless
It was once assumed that the government would provide services for veterans, but nonprofit organizations and communities have been picking up the slack to help veterans get back on their feet after returning home. The government is dependent on nonprofit organizations to supply veterans and their families with the necessary goods and services. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is an organization that provides services for veterans and their families. The WWP focuses on mind, body, economic empowerment, and engagement, all things that help veterans through post-war symptoms (The Wounded Warrior Project). The government is recommending giving less housing allowances, limiting pay raises, and having higher fees for health care benefits; other cuts would include stores being unable to give discounts to military families (Nissenbaum and Barnes). The amount of money veterans receive for housing, health care, and retirement is being cut left and right by the government and the money is being used and put towards other departments. In California, The County Veterans Service Officers Inc. plays a very important role in verterans’ lives (California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, Inc.) Many organizations help veterans who are in need of services because our government is not always able to provide...
Murray, and Deborah are among some 50,000 veterans who are homeless, or 1.4 million who are considered at risk of homelessness on any given day, due to poverty, lack of support networks, and marginal living conditions in substandard housing, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. They, and all those who put on the uniforms of our nation 's armed services, sacrifice so much to defend the freedoms that we all enjoy and take for granted. Far too many, however, come home unable to defend themselves from the ravages of combat.” (Cole, 2015, Para. 23). Cole also goes on to continue stating “Providing shelter to our female and male veterans is not enough; it is simply one step. The transition from soldier to civilian is often the most difficult part of a veteran 's life. Yet the hardships of going from combat to job application, mortgage payments and working a typical 9-to-5 job, far too often are after-thoughts on the post-military agenda. It is no wonder that long after their active tours, many veterans continue to fight to reclaim their health and well-being.(Cole, 2015, Para.
Some of the programs that the WWP has to offer are Project Odyssey which helps veterans learn how to cope with PTSD. They also offer family support and peer mentor programs to help and support the wounded warrior. The organization offers economic empowerment through career training and to help the veterans seek fulltime work. They provide adaptive sports events, such as golf tournaments and flag football games, to empower physical health and wellness. The Wounded Warrior Project is not like any other organization for veterans because they provide rehabilitative services for the rest of the wounded veteran’s
The DAV was founded when our country was struggling with the effects of World War I. American veterans that came home from World War I started the DAV in 1920. A lot has changed in the last ninety-one years, but the wounded and sick from the wars still need the DAV's help in life cope with their disabilities (Wars & Scars 1). In 1932 the DAV was deemed the official voice of the nation’s wartime disabled veterans (About Disabled American Veterans 1). The DAV have many missions in helping the veterans. Some mission statements are “Providing a structure through which disabled veterans can express their compassion for their fellow veterans through a variety of volunteer programs” (Mission Statement 1), “Extending DAV's mission of hope into the communities where these veterans and their families live through a network of state-level Departments and local Chapter” (Mission Statement 1), and “Representing the interests of disabled veterans, their families, their widows and spouses, and their orphans before Congress, the White House, and the Judicial Branch, as well as state and local government”(Mission Statement 1). “Providing outreach concerning its program services to the Am...
One of the most serious problems facing all veterans today is the lack of proper healthcare. Soldiers, sailors and airmen are leaving active duty without having proper healthcare to cover their physical or mental injuries. The department responsible for veteran’s healthcare is the Department of Veterans Affairs. (VA) According to The department of Veterans Affairs website, “The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is responsible for administering programs of veterans’ benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors. The benefits provided include disability compensation, pension, education, home loans, life insurance, vocational rehabilitation, survivors’ benefits, medical benefits and burial benefits. It is administered by the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs.” The VA, who was formerly called the Veterans Administration, was established 21 July 1930, to consolidate and coordinate government activities affecting war veterans. The VA encompassed the functions of the former U.S. Veterans' Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. On 25 October 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation creating a new federal Cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs to replace the Veterans Administration effective 15 March 1989 (V.A.)
VETSPACE commenced in 1994 when Dr. Elizabeth McMahon, PhD and fellow Gainesville veterans concluded a need for local community efforts in the growing plight involving homelessness. Governmental endorsement and laws help provide a foundation of support; however, assistance from within the city allows physical aid to veterans in need. Dr. Elizabeth McMahon PhD felt a personal interest in contributing to the cause due to her relationship with a former war hero. Captain Joseph “Mac” McMahon Jr., Elizabeth’s brother, served the United States in the Korean War from 1953 to 1954 in the army. His time spent
Veterans are overrepresented among the homeless population in the United States at 40% as it relates to poverty (Fargo, et al. 2012). Research indicates that poverty, lack of support networks, mental illnesses, finances, childhood experiences, substance abuse, and overcrowded or substandard housing are some factors that contribute to homelessness among veterans. Additionally, study shows that homelessness among veterans is at a higher percentage in the categories of age, race, and gender as it relates to the contributing factors (Fargo, et al. 2012). Donna Washington, et al. (2010) observed certain characteristics associated with homelessness such as sexual assault during military service, unemployment, disabled,
My most significant contribution to my community was achieved through my Eagle Scout Project. I completed my Eagle Scout Project in 2013 at the McLaurin Vocational Training Center in my hometown, Hamlet, North Carolina. The McLaurin Vocational Training Center, the McLaurin Center for short, is a safe haven for mentally and physically disabled adults. The McLaurin Center helps their clients garner skills that range from basic hygiene to skills that can help the clients be competitive applicants to small jobs in our local workforce. As a result of funding shortages and budget cuts in the recent years, several areas of the McLaurin Center's facilities have not received the updates that they are in need of. The landscaping in front of the main
Thus, governments make specific advantages and administrations accessible to them and the general population assumes liability for guaranteeing the prosperity of this extraordinary gathering of residents. It is in this manner a matter of worry that veterans are spoken to in extraordinary numbers among needy Americans. (Rosenheck, Kasprow, and Seibyl, 2004, p.587). In 1987, the main national study of vagrancy among U.S. veterans were gathered. What was reported is that forty percent of homeless men was passed military administration and that was compared to 34 percent of men in the general population. Further research confirmed that veterans are 1.4 times prone to be homeless as other individuals, and that roughly 200,000 were homeless on any night. The most serious danger of vagrancy were among individuals who had served in the post-Vietnam all-volunteer armed force from the year 1972 to 1980. Those men were around four times prone to be destitute as their none veteran associates. In contrast, veterans in the age group that served in the Vietnam period were just 1.4 times likely coordination the general normal. The World War II veterans had somewhat low rates: they was just nine-tenths prone to be destitute as none veterans. The information demonstrates that the battle introduction is not the most grounded determinant of vagrancy among veterans of different war times. In reality the post-Vietnam veterans had the minimum battle presentation yet the most dangerous vagrancy. The key element appeared to be identified with their premilitary experience and status. World War II veteran are an exceptionally symbolic cross segment of their age bunch in general public on the loose. Vietnam veterans, somewhat in the light of purposeful arrangements
The issue, is whether the United States Government should allow homelessness among veterans to continue pushing forward, because it is self-inflicted or, whether the government should eliminate homelessness
As the most powerful nation in the world, we must make it our priority to take care of our own. We provide services for many disadvantaged populations, but fail to understand the problems of our returning service men and women. This nation must become more aware and steadfast in putting an emphasis on helping our veterans, otherwise there will come a time, when the best of those who can serve this country, will choose not to, and the defense of our nation will be shattered.
New Direction for Veterans’ main mission is “to empower men and women who served in the military and their families, to lead productive and fulfilling lives” (2017). They predominately focus on the highest equity veterans while seeking to get them service connected to the VA (Boden, 2012). More specifically, they do this through a Vocational Men’s Program, transitional housing program: Veteran Opportunity Center East (VOCE) and Veteran Opportunity Center West (VOCW). In addition to housing, the VOCE consists of 132-beds for homeless veterans receiving support services: groups, rejoining the workforce, legal aid, meals, mental health, and case management. With the maximum capacity of 50-persons, VOCW offers treatment for substance abuse and