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Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth Announces $7.1 Million to Fight Homelessness Among Veterans


Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 30, 2016. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08), an Operation Iraqi Freedom combat Veteran, today announced more than $7 million in federal funding for non-profits working to reduce homelessness among Veterans in the Eighth District and its surrounding communities. The funding, part of $300 million announced nationwide today, will be used to provide outreach, case management and other critical services to very low-income Veteran families to prevent homelessness and rehouse those that have recently become homeless.

“After recovering at Walter Reed, I helped lead the VA’s national effort to fight homelessness among Veterans because every American is dishonored when someone who fought for their freedom must lay his or her head down on the very streets they were defending,” said Congresswoman Duckworth.  “This funding will help bring us closer to the goal of eliminating homelessness among Veterans and their families once and for all. It is an important investment, but there remains more work to do. I am committed to finishing the job.”

Prior to joining Congress, Duckworth served as Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where she coordinated the VA’s joint initiative with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to end Veteran homelessness. The Administration announced earlier this month that the rate of homelessness among Veterans has fallen nearly 50% since 2010. This funding comes through the VA’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program.

Under today’s announcement, the following organizations will receive SSVF funding:  $1,501,365 for Featherfist, Inc.; $1,312,118 for Heartland Human Care Services, Inc.; $1,155,731 for Volunteers of America of Illinois; $983,716 for Thresholds; $811,044 for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago; $559,972 for Partners in Community Building, Inc.; $452,238 for Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans, Inc.; $344,616 for Transitional Living Services, Inc.

Duckworth served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and later served as the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Washington. In Congress, she coauthored the bipartisan Clay Hunt SAV (Suicide Prevention for American Veterans) Act, which passed both the House and Senate unanimously and was signed into law to improve mental health care services for Veterans and reduce Veteran suicide. Congresswoman Duckworth also introduced the bipartisan Troop Talent Act—large portions of which are now law—to help servicemembers transition to civilian life by making it easier for them to turn the skills they learned in the military into the credentials and licenses needed for similar civilian fields. And she helped introduce the bipartisan Fairness for Veterans Act, which would protect thousands of Veterans from being needlessly denied healthcare and other benefits. More information on Congresswoman Duckworth’s efforts to help Veterans can be found here.

Source: http://duckworth.house.gov

 

 

 


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