Friday

Hundreds of veteran families to benefit through new funding

United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) was recently awarded a $1,347,519 grant for Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The award continues a program that got underway in Central Indiana in 2011 and has since helped more than 300 households.

“Because of the SSVF grants, HVAF will be able to provide a range of services that promote self-sufficiency among veterans and their families,” says HVAF President & CEO Charles Haenlein. “SSVF helps with transportation and bill paying.”


SSVF aims to prevent at-risk veterans from becoming homeless and to rapidly re-house those who recently became homeless through services promoting housing stability and connecting veterans and their families to mental health care and other benefits to which they are entitled.


The new funding will benefit approximately 400 veterans and their families in Central Indiana. It can be used to offer temporary financial assistance to veterans for rent and utility payments, security deposits and moving costs. HVAF and HealthNet Homeless Initiative Program administer the services locally.


In 2012, 187 households received assistance through HVAF’s SSVF program which included helping eligible veterans and families with outreach, case management and assistance in obtaining VA and other benefits. Qualified clients also received assistance with budgeting and creating a stability plan and some veterans were also eligible for limited payments to third parties (e.g., landlords, utility companies, moving companies, and licensed child care providers) when these payments helped veterans and families maintain or acquire permanent housing.


This is the third year SSVF grants have helped veterans and their families find or remain in their homes.