Homeless and at-risk veterans in eight counties in New Jersey will be served by $4 million in grants recently awarded to Soldier On by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a press release.
The grants, which will be operational starting in October, include a new $2 million award to serve approximately 500 participant households in Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties.
Soldier On also received a $2 million renewal grant to continue to provide housing services to veterans in Burlington, Monmouth, Middlesex and Ocean counties.
These awards are among nearly $300 million Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grants targeted to provide housing stability for approximately 120,000 homeless and at-risk veterans and their families, according to the press release.
The grants were announced on July 12 by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.
“With these grants, we are strengthening our partnership with community nonprofits across the country to provide veterans and their families with hope, a home, and a future,” Shinseki said.
“The work of Supportive Services for Veteran Families program grantees has already helped us prevent and end homelessness among tens of thousands of homeless veterans and their families, but as long as a single veteran lives on our streets, we have work to do.”
Since Soldier On was awarded its first SSVF grant in October 2011, the organization has served 2,245 homeless and at-risk veterans, spouses and children in 36 counties in New York and four counties in New Jersey, according to the press release.
The SSVF funds enable the grantees to provide supportive services for veterans, including outreach in the community and with their local Veterans Administration, case management services, assistance with obtaining V.A. benefits and other services.
Veterans seeking to enroll in the program should call Soldier On at 1- 866-406-8449.