JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, announced Tuesday that the Veteran Administration is making a $5 million grant to the city of Jacksonville and the Emergency Services & Homeless Coalition of Jacksonville Inc.
The VA is also making a $6 million grant to the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida.
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The grants are part of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program to serve homeless veterans.
SSVF grantees provide supportive services to very low-income veterans and their families who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. The grant requires that service providers do outreach, case management, assistance in obtaining VA benefits and providing or coordinating efforts to obtain needed entitlements and other community services.
"The homeless-prevention program provides new hope and comprehensive support to veterans who have served honorably but now unfortunately find themselves in extremely precarious situations," said Brown.
Other services provided include legal assistance, credit counseling, housing counseling, assisting participants in understanding leases, securing utilities, coordinating moving arrangements, employment, training leading to employment, providing representative payee services concerning rent and utilities when needed, and serving as an advocate for the veteran when mediating with property owners on issues related to locating or retaining housing.
The agencies also offer temporary financial assistance that provide short-term assistance with rent, moving expenses, security and utility deposits, child care, transportation, utility costs and emergency expenses.