Tomorrow when we #RallyForZero, we will all wear camouflage t-shirts to symbolize the unity of our coalition and the often invisibility of an important and issue: Veteran Homelessness.
As we gather in Love Park (16th & JFK) and march down Broad Street, we hope to bring Veteran Homelessness to the forefront and encourage the public to join us in this “homestretch” to Veterans Day!
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!)
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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IN PHILADELPHIA, ZERO IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE ZERO.
Zero means that every veteran who is literally homeless will have the opportunity to find permanent housing. Zero also means that every Veteran who is at risk of homelessness will have the opportunity to prevent homelessness in their lives. Veterans are “all persons who served in the armed forces, regardless of how long they served or the type of discharge they received.”
Philadelphia currently has the resources available to assist every homeless Veteran to find permanent housing. Therefore, it is our goal that on or before November 11th, 2015, Philadelphia will find and offer housing to every Veteran experiencing homelessness.
HOW DO WE DETERMINE THAT WE ARE AT ZERO?
FINAL PROOF OF ZERO
TBD at the Point In Time Count in January 2016.
At that time, it is anticipated that there may be a small number of unsheltered Veterans in Philadelphia who are experiencing homelessness. There will always be a place available for them in a housing program should they choose to come in from the street. This small number of unsheltered Veterans PLUS the number of sheltered “homeless” Veterans who are in transitional or emergency housing will be the total number of homeless Veterans in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia, PA, April 6, 2016 – PhillyVetsHome2015, a collaborative venture of government agencies and private non-profit organizations will achieve the goal of “functional zero” regarding veteran homelessness in Philadelphia on, or before, Wednesday, November 11th, 2015.
This declaration means a great deal for our city. It means every veteran who has crossed our coalition’s path since August 2013 will be housed. Moreover, the resources will be in place in Philadelphia for any future veteran who experiences homelessness to find a home. After November 11th, 2015, if homelessness should occur in a veteran’s life, it will be rare, brief and non-reoccurring.
This does not mean that there will never be a homeless veteran on the streets of Philadelphia, but that a veteran in transition will be able to easily access a system of support to find and maintain housing should he or she desire it.
We have accomplished this goal by housing 862 homeless veterans since August 2013 and connecting an additional 560 Veterans with the resources needed to find and maintain a home. We will reach functional zero when all of the 560 veterans who are “connected with a program” achieve their housing goals.
The coalition, using resources like Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) and HUD-VASH (Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing) has worked tirelessly to meet the specific needs of each Veteran who crosses our doorstep. We have developed and maintain a “by-name” list of every homeless veteran in Philadelphia and it will track progress towards the goal of stable housing for each homeless veteran.
On April 16th, 2015 all involved agencies, along with representatives and community stakeholders, will gather for the final “homestretch” meeting to plan the months to come as we move toward this monumental milestone for the City of Philadelphia and veterans in the community.
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Philly Vets Home 2015 