GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - With temperatures dropping outside, there is a push to get homeless veterans off the streets.
The first ever "Kent County Veteran Homeless Connect" event is taking place Friday, Nov. 9.
This is the first of this particular event, but not the beginning of the effort to help homeless vets here West Michigan. In fact, just last year, Kent County became the first in the state to receive a "Functional Zero" designation.
"What that means is the county is able to make sure homeless is rare and brief for veterans," explained Anna Diaz, the committee chair for, Ending Veterans Homelessness Committee. "There is a plan in place so if a veteran should identify that they are homeless, we are able to bring support to that veteran quickly and rapidly and look at housing for services."
Diaz said, to date, they have been able to find permanent housing for more than 610 veterans. However, many veterans remain vulnerable to homelessness, especially in rural areas. Friday's event is designed to reach dozens of vets who may have recently become homeless or have moved to the area without adequate housing.
"Kent County is a very resource rich county, so we have a lot of veterans who have moved here from rural counties who don't have the resources that Kent County has," said Tiyanna Payne, Health Care for Homeless Veterans Supervisor, for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. "So, you have seen an influx over the past couple of years."
"They have health care needs and basic human needs that haven't been met. Safety concerns with having to sleep in the streets or places not meant for human habitation. And, really don't have a place to call their own," said Diaz. "Once veterans move into housing a lot of mental health needs that have gone untreated or without medication start to get treated. Once there is a place where someone feels stable and there is an address and there is a worker they feel connected to, they start to meet those very basic goals and from there they start to feel more empowered."
She says, through the event, the committee will be able to provide services for more than 30 homeless veterans in the Kent County. The goal is to be able to house them by the end of the day, if possible.
The Veteran Homeless Connect event takes place Friday, Nov. 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Community Rebuilders. That is located at 1120 Monroe Ave. NW, Suite 160 in Grand Rapids. Several secondary sites are also available.
They include:
- Health Care for Homeless Veterans located at 620 Century Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
- American Legion Glen Hill Post 287, located at 91 1st Street, Cedar Springs
- Fountain Street Church, located at 24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids
- American Legion Boat and Canoe Club, located at 401 North Park St. NE, Grand Rapids
- American Legion Post 179, located at 2327 Wilson Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
All locations will be providing access to temporary emergency accommodation, housing and Veteran Service Officers.
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