GlobalGiving.org: Jericho Project Veterans Initiative

Help Jericho Project End Veteran Homelessness This Veterans Day

Mary Taylor — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:13:45 GMT

Veterans Moving into Fordham Village

The harsh reality for many of the men and women who have served our country is casting a dark shadow over this year's Veterans Day celebration:

Every night in the United States more than 75,000 veterans are homeless.
Veterans make up only 8% of the U.S. population, but almost 16% of homeless adults.
50% of all homeless veterans suffer from mental illness, and 67% suffer from
substance abuse.
1 in 5 female veterans report sexual trauma in the military.

Increasingly, many of our men and women returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are ending up homeless. They are going into homelessness much more quickly than veterans from previous conflicts
did.

Jericho Project has been facing down the tragedy of homeless veterans since 2006 with our innovative housing and employment programs.

We have begun to moving homeless and at-risk veterans into Fordham Village, our first of two veteran supportive housing residences. Our second residence, Kingsbridge Commons, will open its doors to veterans in
early 2012. Together with our Veterans Supportive Apartment and Homeless Veterans Employment Program we are providing housing and employment services to more than 200 veterans.

Links:

Off the Streets. On With Life. At Jericho Project

Fordham Village, A Jericho Project Veterans Community

Mary Taylor — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:53:08 GMT

Fordham Village Grand Opening Ceremony

Jericho Project has completed construction on its first veterans residence, Fordham Village!

Jericho Project’s 2006 strategic plan identified homeless veterans as a key population to benefit from its unique supportive housing model. The following year Jericho began a concerted effort to expand its supportive housing program to address the local and national issue of homeless veterans. Jericho Project’s Veterans Initiative includes:

The development of new supportive housing for veterans;
The creation of an evidence-based veterans service model based on Jericho’s proven model; and
Strategic efforts to stimulate the further development of supportive and affordable housing initiatives for veterans nationwide.

Jericho is opening its two new veteran residences in 2011 — the first new supportive housing programs for veterans in New York City in 17 years — and has expanded its Supportive Apartment Program to include 50 units for homeless veterans. Together, the congregate residences and supportive apartments will provide 182 units of supportive housing to homeless and low-income veterans.

Links:

Jericho Project

On the Front Line of Ending Veteran Homelessness

Mary Taylor — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 02:53:39 GMT

Hi,

You might have seen in the news this week that the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development released a report on veteran homelessness. Their findings are truly startling:

Over 136,000 veterans spent at least one night in a homeless shelter in 2009 - and uncounted numbers of veterans were living on the streets.

16% of homeless adults are veterans, yet vets make up only 10% of the U.S. population

1 in 10 veterans living in poverty experienced homelessness during the year.

As far back as 2006, Jericho Project recognized the importance of finding replicable solutions to this national tragedy.

And we sprung into action:

In 2007, we bought two vacant lots to develop brand new supportive housing residences for veterans in the Bronx.

In 2009, we launched our Veterans Supportive Apartment program through innovative collaborations with two New York City VA Medical Centers. And we've double the program size in just one year.

In 2011, we are opening our two Veterans Supportive Housing Residences, which will provide 132 studio apartments alongside the cutting-edge services our veterans need and deserve.

President Obama has set an ambitious goal of ending veteran homelessness by 2014. With your help, Jericho has already begun its part to help our nation meet this noble goal.

Exciting News about Jericho's Veterans Initiative

Ashley Lahoud — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:40:36 GMT

Jericho Project is pleased to update our Global Giving supporters about our work to end veterans homelessness.

Construction continues on Jericho’s two new veterans residences, which will provide 132 units of supportive housing for homeless and low-income veterans by the end of 2011. Veterans Residence I will provide supportive housing to 56 formerly homeless veterans, and is scheduled to open in just four months, in March of 2011! Jericho’s Veterans Residence II, which will be home to 76 formerly homeless veterans, is scheduled to open in October of 2011.

While Jericho continues building its two new veterans residences, it also serves 45 formerly homeless veterans through its Veterans Supportive Apartment program (VSA program). Jericho’s VSA program provides individual apartments city-wide and the full range of Jericho’s services to homeless veterans.

One VSA resident, Iraq veteran Jose Anthony Pagan, was recently honored along with Jericho Project at the Robin Hood Foundation's 2010 Heroes Breakfast on November 17. Jose was honored for having overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and having shown the resiliency of the human spirit.

Thank you to all of our wonderful Global Giving donors for allowing Jericho to serve the brave veterans who now need our help! We look forward to keeping you posted in 2011, as we continue expanding our veterans supportive housing.

Jericho Project Continues Expansion of Veterans Supportive Apartment Program!

Ashley Lahoud — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:31:04 GMT

Jericho Project is pleased to share exciting news about the expansion of our Veterans Supportive Apartment Program (VSA program).

Launched in fall of 2009, Jericho’s VSA program provides individual apartments and intensive family, financial, and career counseling services to homeless veterans in NYC. Due to the amazing generosity of Global Giving donors and the overwhelming need among NYC veterans, Jericho recently doubled the VSA program from 20 to 40 units.

Jericho has once again expanded the VSA program — from 40 to 45 units — and continues to provide a timely, cost-effective solution to the crisis of homeless veterans in NYC. We have now enrolled 45 veterans in our Veterans Supportive Apartment Program, and have housed 22 veterans city-wide!

This expansion would not have been possible without the continued support of Global Giving and Jericho’s dedicated donors! Thank you again for your incredible generosity and support for our work to end homelessness among NYC veterans.

Jericho doubles its Veterans Supportive Apartments

Ashley Lahoud — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:01:22 GMT

Jericho is expanding our successful Veterans Supportive Apartment Program from 20 to 40 units! Thanks to the incredible generosity of Global Giving donors, we are housing a growing number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in crisis.

In late 2009, Jericho created 20 Veterans Supportive Apartments for homeless NYC veterans. Jericho is now doubling the Veterans Supportive Apartments Program to house 40 homeless veterans and their families.

Jericho will continue to work intensively with each veteran to identify and secure affordable housing and help them to transfer their combat skills to sustainable and fulfilling civilian employment.

Thank you again for your continued support for Jericho, and for our nation’s homeless veterans! We look forward to keeping you posted on our work to end homelessness for NYC's veterans and their families.

Jericho creates an additional 20 units of veterans Supportive Housing!

Mary Taylor — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:45:20 GMT

In addition to constructing two new veterans residences, Jericho is creating an additional 20 units of supportive housing for homeless and low income veterans in New York City! This would not have been possible without the amazing generosity of GlobalGiving donors.

In late 2009, Jericho expanded its Supportive Apartment Program to include 20 units for homeless veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Jericho Project and the Bronx VA have entered into an innovative partnership to create its Veterans Supportive Apartment Program (Vet Apartments) to help homeless veterans find suitable housing and receive all the services they need to succeed.

Veterans in need of medical, mental health or substance abuse support will receive mandatory VA case management services. Jericho will provide a number of supplemental services, primarily around locating suitable apartments and employment and educational assistance. We will also help veterans with independent living skills, budgeting, accessing community resources, relapse prevention, family counseling, and crisis management.

We have already housed our first Iraq combat veteran and his family, and are working closely with the Bronx VA to fully implement the program in 2010.

Thank you again for your wonderful generosity and your commitment to helping our veterans move off the streets and on with their lives. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on this exciting expansion.