Benefits News: VA Announces $3.4 Million in Funding to Help the Homeless

WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald announced the award of $3.4 million in grant funding offered through the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program to 16 community agencies that provide enhanced services for homeless Veterans with special needs.

The GPD Program promotes the development and provision of supportive housing and services to help homeless Veterans to have stable residences, increase their skills and income, and achieve independence.  Specifically, GPD special need grant funding assists with additional operating costs of transitional housing and services for special need groups such as women, chronically mental ill, frail elderly, terminally ill, and those with minor dependents.

 "GPD Special Need Grants exemplify VA’s response to the wide range of needs of subpopulations of homeless Veterans," said VA Secretary McDonald. "These 16 grants strengthen the continuum of VA services to help the most vulnerable Veterans become stably housed and achieve greater self-determination."

As a result of these and other efforts, the number of U.S. Veterans experiencing homelessness has been cut nearly in half since 2010.  As of September 16, 2016, 29 communities and two states have confirmed and publicly announced that they have effectively ended Veteran homelessness, serving as models for others across the nation.

More information about VA’s homeless programs is available at va.gov/homeless.  Community organizations seeking details and/or more information may visit VA’s National Grant and Per Diem Program website va.gov/homeless/GPD.ASP. 

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