WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has announced that 19 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will share more than $17 million in grants to community groups to create 1,155 beds for homeless Veterans this year.

"These grants will aid our efforts to eliminate homelessness among those who have served in uniform," said Secretary Shinseki. "Our partnerships with community-based organizations provide safe, transitional housing while these Veterans leverage VA's health care and other benefits to return to productive lives."

A key tool in VA's drive to eliminate homelessness among Veterans, the grants helped VA reduce the number of Veterans who are homeless on a typical night last year by 15 percent to about 131,000 Veterans.

In other programs, VA provides health care to 100,000 homeless Veterans, compensation and assistance in obtaining foreclosed homes and excess federal property, including clothes, footwear, blankets and other items.

That includes the Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program operating from 132 sites to provide outreach, physical and psychiatric examinations and referrals for more than 40,000 Veterans annually, while 2,100 beds in VA domiciliaries provide treatment to more than 5,000 Veterans each year.

In addition, VA partners with volunteers and community organizations to serve tens of thousands of Veterans each year through "stand downs" offering Veterans who often are living lives in the shadows access to basic services and referrals.

VA works with a variety of federal agencies and Veterans organizations not only to mitigate and eliminate homelessness but toward a goal of preventing its occurrence in the first place.

VA's goal is to have a "no wrong door" phenomena, meaning Veterans who seek assistance should find it either in VA internal programs, from community partners or through contract services.

In terms of dollars and number of Veterans served, VA has the largest integrated network of homeless assistance programs in the nation. In fiscal year 2009, VA expected to spend $2.8 billion to provide health care and specialized homeless programs, with an anticipated $400 million increase in the budget for fiscal year 2010.

VA social workers and clinicians work with community and faith-based partners to conduct extensive outreach programs, clinical assessments, medical treatments, alcohol and drug abuse counseling and employment assistance.

More information about VA's homeless programs is available on the Internet at http://www.va.gov/homeless. The list of recipients is below.

    Recipients of VA Grants for Homeless Veterans

    State    City             Recipients         Amount       Program

    Ariz.    Tucson           Esperanza En         $450,938   10 beds
                              Escalante
    Calif.   Adelanto         Life Community       $227,240   12 beds, 1 van
                              Development
             Los Angeles      Volunteers of        $506,108   48 beds
                              America
    Colo.    Aurora           Aurora                $46,706   15 beds
                                Comprehensive
                                Community
                                Mental Health
             Denver           Bo Mathews           $362,798   16 beds, 1 van
                                Center for
                                Excellence
             Denver           Volunteers of         $72,327   8 beds
                                America
    Conn.    New London       New London           $130,627   8 beds
                                Homeless
                              Hospitality
                                Center
    D.C.     Washington       US Veterans          $942,500   85 beds
                                Initiative
    Fla.     Orlando          Center for Drug    $1,049,257   28 beds, 1 van
                                Free Living
             St. Cloud        Transition           $275,925   4 beds
                                House
             St. Petersburg   Boley Centers         $94,015   13 beds
             Tamp             Tampa                $500,370   16 beds, 1 van
                                Crossroads
    Ga.      Augusta          Augusta              $499,070   16 beds, 1 van
                                Steppingstones
                                to Recovery
    Kan.     Emporia          Corner House         $308,295   18 beds,
    Ky.      Hopkinsville     Pennyroyal         $1,604,714   50 beds
                                Mental Health
                                and Mental
                                Retardation
                                Center
    Mich.    Detroit          Detroit Rescue       $932,500   60 beds, 1 van
                                Mission
                                Ministries
             Southfield       The Salvation      $1,241,289   34 beds
                                Army
             Southfield       The Salvation        $962,000   30 beds
                                Army
             Southfield       The Salvation        $397,289   30 beds
                                Army
    Mo.      Kansas City      The Salvation        $656,110   30 beds
                                Army
    N.M.     Las Cruces       Mesilla Valley       $180,750   22 beds, 1 van
                                Community of
                                Hope
    N.Y.     Avon             Zion Episcopal        $96,015   6 beds
                                Church
             Bronx            Everywhere and       $158,715   61 beds
                                Now Public
                                Housing
             Bronx            Everywhere and       $188,500   84 beds
                                Now Public
                                Housing
             Schenectady      The Altamont          $46,332   12 beds
                                Program, Inc
    N.C.     Ridgecrest       First at Blue        $125,813   10 beds
                                Ridge, Inc.
    Ore.     Eugene           Sponsors, Inc.       $506,527   10 beds
    Pa.      Philadelphia     Diversified          $436,020   30 beds
                                Housing
                                Solutions,
                                Inc.
             Pittsburgh       Community Human        $8,642   10 beds
                                Services
                                Corporation
    Puerto   Aguadilla        Casa Del              $75,433   12 beds
    Rico                        Peregrino
                                Aguadilla,
                                Inc.
    S.C.     Wagner           Christ Central     $1,592,500   96 beds
                                Ministries
    Tenn.    Hohenwald        Buffalo Valley,      $142,350   14 beds
                                Inc.
    Texas    Houston          Forest Lawn          $169,361   25 beds, 1 van
                                Missionary
                                Baptist Church
             Houston          Spiller            $1,900,000   184 beds, 1 van
                                Personal Care
                                Home, Inc.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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http://www.va.gov