Local group receives $460,000 for low income Veteran Families

IRON MOUNTAIN– The Alger Marquette Community Action Board has received $460,000 for low income Veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today awarded approximately $300 million more in grants under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program to help thousands of very low-income Veteran families around the nation who are permanently housed or transitioning to permanent housing.

According to the VA officals, the SSVF grant program provides access to crucial services to prevent homelessness for Veterans and their families. SSVF funding, which supports outreach, case management and other flexible assistance to prevent Veteran homelessness or rapidly re-house Veterans who become homeless, has been awarded to 275 non-profit organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

These grants, key elements of VA’s implementation of the Housing First Strategy, enable vulnerable Veterans to secure or remain in permanent housing. In Michigan, 12 organizations received grants totaling more than $8 million including Alger Marquette Community Action Board in the Upper Peninsula, which received $461,523. A list of SSVF grantees is located at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.

“SSVF is a key tool to promote housing stability among our most economically vulnerable Veterans and their families,” said Jim Rice, Iron Mountain VA Medical Center. “This program empowers our community-based partners to provide the mix of services needed to prevent Veterans from becoming homeless and rapidly re-house those who become homeless.”

Grantees will continue to provide eligible Veteran families with outreach, case management, and assistance obtaining VA and other benefits, which may include health care, income support services, financial planning, child care, legal services, transportation, housing counseling, among other services. Grantees are expected to leverage supportive services grant funds to enhance the housing stability of very low-income Veteran families who are occupying permanent housing. In doing so, grantees are required to establish relationships with local community resources.
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