{"id":724264,"date":"2025-11-28T18:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T19:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=724264"},"modified":"2025-11-28T20:34:01","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T20:34:01","slug":"the-safest-place-for-homeless-veterans-va-housing-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=724264","title":{"rendered":"The safest place for homeless Veterans? VA housing programs"},"content":{"rendered":"

How VA\u2019s \u201cGetting Veterans Off the Streets\u201d initiative helped support unsheltered Veterans<\/h2>\n

The safest, healthiest place for homeless Veterans is within VA\u2019s housing programs and supportive services.<\/p>\n

That is the message and mission of the \u201cGetting Veterans Off the Streets\u201d outreach events that took place across the nation earlier this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cVA recognizes how important it is to go beyond traditional ways of outreach to meet the needs of our unsheltered Veterans as effectively as possible,\u201d said Lisa Lincoln, a VA Homeless outreach coordinator.<\/p>\n

First-of-its-kind national action<\/h2>\n

Between May and September 2025, every VA Medical Center (VAMC) in the United States participated in this first-of-its-kind national outreach surge, with each VAMC hosting events to locate and provide homeless Veterans with same-day housing. The goal of \u201cGetting Veterans Off the Streets<\/a>\u201d events was to help VA provide at least 20,000 Veterans nationwide with a path to self-sustainment and hope in fiscal year 2025. To achieve this, VA and its outreach teams adopted a rapid response model to locate, place and enroll homeless Veterans in VA programs, and then track and transition them into permanent housing. They continued to support these Veterans by providing them with comprehensive health care and vocational services to sustain their progress.<\/p>\n

The Wilmington VAMC is just one of the many VAMCs that took part in this nationwide initiative to prevent Veteran homelessness.<\/p>\n

At the Franklin Street Clinic in Washington, D.C., a DJ kept the music and energy flowing as 37 unsheltered Veterans had breakfast and coffee and met with community partners for same-day housing and health care assistance.<\/p>\n

Milwaukee VA Community Resource and Referral Center hosted three \u201cGetting Veterans Off the Streets\u201d events<\/a>, successfully engaging 27 unsheltered Veterans and providing them with pathways to long-term housing and critical health care services.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/a>
Milwaukee VA\u2019s Community Resource and Referral Center workers at first \u201cGetting Veterans Off the Streets\u201d event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

On July 30, VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System deployed eight teams into local communities to identify and assist homeless Veterans. In addition to housing and VA benefits, several community providers were present to support sheltered and unsheltered Veterans. The event successfully engaged with 42 unsheltered Veterans.<\/p>\n

At the end of fiscal year 2025, VA\u2019s \u201cGetting Veterans Off the Streets\u201d initiative has helped 25,605 unsheltered Veterans move into interim or permanent housing\u2014surpassing its goal of 20,000 by 25.3%<\/p>\n

Life-changing resources<\/h2>\n

As of January 2024, VA reported that\u00a0there were 32,882 Veterans experiencing homelessness\u00a0across the United States. This figure reflects a\u00a07.5% decrease\u00a0from the previous year and marks the\u00a0lowest level of Veteran homelessness\u00a0since national tracking began in 2009. VA attributes this progress to coordinated efforts across federal and local agencies, housing-first strategies and targeted outreach events like \u201cGetting Veterans Off the Streets.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the work is far from over, VA and its partners are committed to providing every unhoused Veteran with the home and benefits they deserve, while demonstrating that these long-term policy and programmatic interventions are the most effective way to end Veteran homelessness.<\/p>\n

See how more events around the country delivered life-changing services to homeless Veterans:<\/h2>\n