NYAPRS Note: Over the past 5 years, NYC has reduced veteran homelessness by 90%. Efforts to continue that reduction will be improved by $750,000 in private sector donations. The donations will go towards helping the city achieve the “Functional Zero” goal, a federal standard that calls for the number of veterans entering the shelter system equals the number leaving.
NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray, a devoted advocate to our community said, “A home gives us stability and a sense of self, and is the haven that is so necessary for healing – that’s why our city is so committed to making sure every veteran has one.”
Since 90% of the determinants of our health derive from our lifetime social and physical environment – not from the provision of health care – healthcare systems must place addressing these social determinants at the top of their agenda. NYAPRS is very pleased to feature 2 of our nation’s most prominent experts in this area at our upcoming Annual Executive Seminar: Jeff Olivet and Ruth Shim. They will present “The Social Determinants for Behavioral and Population Health: Addressing Poverty, Race, Homelessness and Exclusion.” For the full agenda and registration information, click HERE.
NYC Homeless Veterans To Get $750G Boost From Private Sector Donations
By Jennifer Fermino NY Daily News March 28, 2016
Here’s some news we can all wave the flag about.
The city’s ongoing efforts to end veteran homelessness are getting a $750,000 boost from the private sector, officials will announce Monday.
The much-needed money largely stems from two massive donations, including a $450,000 gift from the Real Estate Board of New York.
“The amount donated is nothing in comparison to what they (the vets) have already given,” said John Banks, REBNY president.
The REBNY money, as well as $50,000 raised from several other smaller donors, will go towards the Veterans Housing Initiative, which helps those who recently moved from a shelter so they don’t end up on the streets again.
A portion of the initiative — which was launched by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York — will go towards $1,000 Target gift cards so the recently housed vets can spruce up their new digs, officials said.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank Americas is giving the city a $250,000 grant to help homeless vets.
The donations will go towards helping the city achieve the “Functional Zero” goal, a federal standard that calls for the number of veterans entering the shelter system equals the number leaving.
If that goal is achieved, the city can say it effectively ended veterans homelessness — an ambitious goal that Mayor de Blasio has been championing since taking office.
Last year, the city met the federal requirements for ending chronic homelessness among vets, which has different standards.
Those standards include finding permanent homes for veterans who have been homeless for at least a year, or housing for vets who have had four or more bouts of homelessness over the past three years.
The city met that standard despite some vets remaining on the streets because those former service men and women didn’t fall into these categories.
Over the past five years, the city has reduced homelessness among veterans by 90%, officials said.
“A home gives us stability and a sense of self, and is the haven that is so necessary for healing,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray, who is chair of the Mayor’s Fund.
“That’s why our city is so committed to making sure every veteran has one.”