“Donning camouflage t-shirts, more than two hundred veterans, vet advocates and housing officials joined WMGK DJ John DeBella, Friday, at a LOVE Park rally highlighting the city’s progress in ending homelessness among local vets.”
Check out coverage of the #RallyForZero by Jim Smith/El Hispano.
Source: A Home for All Veterans/Viviendas en Nuestros Veteranos
Last week PhillyVetsHome partners gathered in our HOMESTRETCH meeting to plan the final months before Ending Veteran Homelessness on Veterans Day of this year.
We kicked off the day by Defining the Goal: Functional Zero, discussing our Current Strategy, and identifying the Total Take Down Target, Assets, and the progress we have made thus far — including housing 862 homeless veterans since August 2013 and providing 560 more veterans with resources to find and maintain a home.
Partners teamed up to develop final strategies, goals, and actions of sustaining and improving our efforts in the Home Stretch with three primary emphases:
We concluded the Home Stretch meeting with a community pledge, committing to our goal of ending veteran homelessness by Veterans day and identifying our roles and responsibilities individually and collectively to make it possible.
Our HomeStretch Strategy meeting was followed by a press conference where the Mayor publicly announced our goal date to End Veteran Homelessness in the City of Philadelphia.
We are excited about the progress we have made over the past years, and recognize we still face many new obstacles ahead and can use YOUR support! If you are interested in how YOU can help, learn more here OR drop us a note!
(You can also see MORE photos from the HomeStretch Meeting & Press Conference!)
Today, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden published an Op Ed Piece to urge all Americans to join in the effort to help end Veteran Homelessness…
“Everyone who has served America deserves a home in America. And while we know that we’ll never be able to prevent every single housing crisis for our veterans, we also know that if we set up the right systems in our communities and devote enough resources, we can get our veterans and their families back into housing quickly — and permanently”
The article mentions how businesses can individuals are getting involved through the creation of Welcome Home Kits and describes the importance that these kits can make!
How can YOU get involved to help Veterans in Philadelphia? Consider the suggestion of the First Lady & Dr Biden — help to provide Veterans items at Move-In!
APRIL 16, 2015
by Jessica McDonald, WHYY
In fewer than seven months, the city of Philadelphia aims to get every homeless veteran off the streets.
Mayor Michael Nutter revealed the timeframe for the lofty goal on Thursday to a packed room of government officials and non-profit workers.
“While every Veterans Day is respected and revered in Philadelphia,” he said, “this upcoming Veterans Day of course will be an even greater day of celebration when we announce that we have ended veteran homelessness in Philadelphia.”
The citywide push is part of a national effort to find homes for all vets by the end of 2015. Last summer Nutter signed on to the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, spearheaded by First Lady Michelle Obama, and Philadelphia is one of 25 cities receiving extra resources from the VA to support the cause.
The key to success, organizers said, is collaboration. Philadelphia non-profit leaders said for the first time they are sharing lists and have sufficient resources.
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Philly Vets Home 2015 