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DENVER VETERANS STRUGGLE WITH HOMELESSNESS --
"You know that saying that pride goes before
the fall?
It does. You no longer have a sense of pride
because you're homeless, you're hungry."
For more about homeless veterans, use the VA
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link below.
Story here...
http://www.9news.com/
news/article.aspx?storyid=76534
Story below:
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Veterans struggle with homelessness
written by: Thanh Truong
9NEWS Reporter
Veterans struggle with homelessness. 9NEWS at 5 p.m. 9/1/07
KUSA - Decades ago, Keith Wilson served his country in Vietnam as a
member of the U.S. Navy.
In Vietnam, he fought enemy forces. More than four years ago he was
fighting depression and was homeless.
"You know that saying that pride goes before the fall? It does. You no
longer have a sense of pride because you're homeless, you're hungry,"
said Wilson.
Wilson says the most difficult aspect was being away from his daughter
and her children. He describes it as the lowest point during his time on
the streets.
"Seeing children my grandchildren's age and knowing that they don't know
what happened to grandpa - that was the worst part," Wilson said.
Through a program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wilson was
able to find work and eventually transition out of homelessness.
Denver's Department of Human Services runs what is called a homeless
veterans reintegration program. It is the only program of its type in
Colorado.
"These are the people, these are the few that served our country. The
principle we work under is they served, and so we believe they deserve
to be served," said George Cassidy with Denver's Veteran Service Office.
Cassidy estimates that veterans make up more than 30 percent of Denver's
homeless population. Recent "point in time surveys" show that more than
4,000 homeless people can be found within the city and county of Denver.
In five years of operation, the program has helped nearly 1,000 veterans
obtain employment and nearly 250 veterans obtain permanent housing.
Cassidy says there is more than enough need.
"I personally know 400 of them. We see at the Veterans Service Office
every month between 300 and 400 chronically homeless veterans," Cassidy
said.
Through grants from the Department of Labor, Denver has roughly $300,000
to help homeless veterans get off the streets. There are many hurdles.
The first is the difficulty in identifying veterans.
"Sometimes they're so entrenched in what has happened they don't come
out and seek help," said Cassidy.
"Veterans are very good at hiding. They don't come out. There is no
pride in being homeless," Wilson said.
Cassidy says other major hurdles in reaching veterans include mental
health problems, drug and alcohol abuse. Denver's reintegration program
can help veterans address those issues, but Cassidy stresses that the
veterans themselves must take the first step and seek help. Unless that
happens, veterans who once fought for the country will continue to fight
for survival on the streets of their own country.
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Larry Scott --
