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Homeless Veterans Committee

Homeless Veterans COMMITTEE REPORT
May/june 2008

Commitment, Change And Inspiration

BY SANDY MILLER, CHAIR
The Bobby J Award is presented by the Homeless Veterans Committee to a formerly homeless veteran who has exemplified commitment, embraced change, and provided inspiration to brother and sister veterans.

“Bobby J” was a formerly homeless veteran in recovery, living in a transitional residence, who exhibited great courage in his battles with addiction and Agent Orange-related cancer. He never gave up the fight.

Nominees must have been homeless, as defined in the McKinney-Vento Act; completed a homeless domiciliary or transitional program; obtained and maintained housing in the community for at least one year; and be nominated by a VVA chapter, State Council, national committee or task force chair, national officer, or Board member.

Nomination packets must contain a copy of the individual’s DD-214; proof of program completion; and a written nomination letter of not more than 500 words on chapter, State Council, or VVA letterhead.

Completed nomination packets should be sent to: Sandra Miller, HVC Chair, P.O. Box 557, Douglassville, PA 19518.

Nominations will be accepted until June 15. The Homeless Veterans Committee will present VVA life memberships to honorees who are Vietnam veterans. Other honorees will receive life membership in AVVA.

Before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Regarding  Ending Homelessness for our Nation’s Veterans

April 9, 2008

Mr. Chairman, and members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, my name is Sandra A. Miller. I served as a senior enlisted woman in the U.S. Navy from 1975 until 1981 and I currently chair Vietnam Veterans of America’s (VVA) Homeless Veterans Committee.  Perhaps more importantly, I work with homeless veterans as the daily Program Coordinator of a transitional residence, one of the many programs provided by The Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center.  Our transitional residence receives funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs Homeless Grant and Per Diem Program (HGPD) and operates under a shared lease agreement on the grounds of the Coatesville VA Medical Center.  

On behalf of VVA, I thank you and your colleagues for this opportunity to submit testimony sharing our views on the status of homeless assistance programs for veterans conducted by the VA.

Homelessness continues to be a significant problem for veterans. The VA estimates about one-third of the adult homeless population have served their country in the Armed Services. Current population estimates suggest that about 154,000 veterans (male and female) are homeless on any given night and perhaps twice as many experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year.

Federal efforts regarding homeless veterans must be particularly vigorous for women veterans with minor children in their care. And those federal agencies that have responsibilities in addressing this situation, particularly the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor, and Housing and Urban Development, must work in concert and should be held accountable for achieving clearly defined results.

[ Read testimony ]

Congress hears about homeless vets

The head of a Northampton-based veterans organization told a congressional panel yesterday that the average age of homeless veterans is becoming younger each year.

John F. Downing, the CEO of United Veterans of America Inc., which runs shelters in Pittsfield and at the VA Medical Center in Northampton, said it shelters 250 veterans every day and is at capacity every night. [ Read article ]

A Beacon Of Strength

BY SANDY MILLER, CHAIR
As the Chair of VVA’s Homeless Veterans Task Force, I was pleased to announce the first recipient of the Bobby J. Award at the National Convention in Springfield.

Melvin Colston graduated from Edison High School in June 1966. On August 21, 1968, he enlisted in the Army. He was sent to Vietnam on April 30, 1969. SP4 Colston served as a convoy runner with MACV. He left Vietnam on March 22, 1970. Upon returning from Vietnam, Colston got married.

In February 1997, after almost two years of living on the streets of Philadelphia, Colston entered the Substance Abuse Treatment Unit at the Coatesville VA Medical Center. When he completed that program, he moved on to the Homeless Domiciliary Program and completed a 90-day program.

On June 16, 1997, Melvin Colston became the first resident of LZ II Transitional Residence, a program of the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center. LZ II is a transitional residence under the VA Homeless Grant and Per Diem Program, where homeless veterans may live for up to two years. On February 1, 1998, Colston was hired as a resident manager on a temporary basis. Upon his successful completion of the program on June 16, 1999, he was offered a permanent position as the on-site supervisor of LZ II.

Over the course of his ten years at LZ II, Colston has continued to be a very strong and positive influence on all who enter the doors. His commitment to his recovery and helping new residents is above reproach. He has become a mentor, a teacher, and a beacon of strength. His own growth and determination are obvious to all who know him. He has regained his self-worth, his pride, and most of all, his family.

His dedication to his God and his attention to his recovery have resulted in a most phenomenal transformation. Through his determination, he has come from hopelessness and helplessness into a new life. Thousands of veterans see his success as an inspiration. It is with pleasure that I was able to present this award to Melvin Colston, along with a life membership in VVA.

During the Convention, resolutions dealing with homeless veterans were presented and voted on by the delegates. Major steps are being taken by the VA Homeless Grant and Per Diem Program Office to re-vamp the program and the manner in which non-profit agencies are paid for services. Having been reappointed Chair by VVA President John Rowan, I look forward to moving to address the needs of our nation’s homeless veterans. Much work remains to be done and working in a collaborative effort with the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, we hope to accomplish great things.

News

Roads to Hope
On any given night, there may be 200,000 homeless veterans on the streets of America. Many suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction or mental illness. VA and local service providers are working to help them help themselves return to a better life. Here are three inspiring stories of patience, courage and renewal -- of formerly homeless veterans who have turned their lives around and begun their journey on the road to recovery. (Windows Media Player and Real Player formats)

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