07.26.11

Delegation Announces $600,000 for Homeless ND Veterans

VA Grant Awarded to North Dakota Coalition of Homeless People

Washington – Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg announced today that the North Dakota Coalition of Homeless People in Bismarck will receive a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help prevent and end homelessness among veterans. The North Dakota Coalition of Homeless People will use the grant to provide services to approximately 200 participant households throughout the state of North Dakota.

"It is shame that those who have bravely served our nation are sleeping on the streets. They had our backs, and now we must repay their service by providing them with the support they earned," the delegation said in a joint statement. "This grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs will help the North Dakota Coalition of Homeless People provide much-needed services to homeless veterans across our state."

Veterans comprise roughly eight percent of the U.S. population, but sadly they account for approximately 12 percent of all homeless persons nationwide. There are more than 50,000 veterans in North Dakota, and it is estimated that close to 900 of them are homeless.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched the new Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program with nearly $60 million in grant awards to homeless service agencies in 40 states and the District of Columbia. The program aims to improve housing stability for very low-income veteran families. Grantees, which include private, non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives, will provide a range of supportive services to at-risk veteran families, including outreach, case management, and assistance in obtaining VA benefits.

The North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People is an organization of service providers that works to address homelessness in North Dakota. Formed in 1989, the organization develops supportive housing for homeless individuals and families, works to prevent further homelessness, improves access to services for the homeless, advocates for local initiatives to improve housing and services for the homeless, and gathers and disseminates data on homelessness in North Dakota.