Commitment to end veteran homelessness
A new plan launched Monday by Delaware Governor Jack Markell aims to ensure no military veteran is homeless in the First State.
Larence Kirby of the Delaware Commission of Veteran Affairs spoke at the press event Monday. During a sit-down interview with 47 ABC, Kirby explained “You have a certain amount of pride when you’re in the military, so it’s not easy just to admit that you’ve run into situations such as homelessness because you’re so used to having that team or you’re so used to resolving issues by yourself.”
Kirby served in the Air Force for more than 30 years and is now the Executive Director of the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs. He, and other Delaware officials, are joining the challenge to helping homeless veterans. Their goal is have zero homeless veterans on a given night by the end of 2015.
The first part of that plan is to identify the veterans struggling through homelessness, along with those at risk. It’s known as the “Point In Time” program according to Kirby.
“What that is is, they are volunteers who go out to or Georgetown, or Dover, or Wilmington and what they do is, at that point in time, usually overnight, they will go out and ask the homeless individuals…how many of you are veterans?” Explains Kirby. “So they have a firm number or a projected number.”
After identifying the veterans, the next step is to connect them with resources.
Jeanine Kleimo is the chairperson of The Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing. The shelter can house up to 36 men each night, including many veterans. Kleimo says they housed 11 one veteran’s Day.
Like Kirby, Kleimo says she knows the challenges of encouraging homeless veterans to seek help and so does her staff.
“I would tell them come to us because we welcome you and we would have someone you could talk with. We would have other homeless veterans who understand your predicament, your situation and who would be a compassionate friend to you.” Says Kleimo.
Another part of the plan includes rental assistance vouchers.
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