News

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that it has awarded a new $3 million to Soldier On, the western-Massachusetts based agency for homeless veterans, to expand its programming for Supportive Services for Veteran Families in Pittsfield and Berkshire County.

The new grant will be operational immediately and was awarded over a three-year period. It follows the award announced last month of $12,772,140 in renewed grants for Soldier On’s current SSVF programming serving veterans in 36 counties in eastern upstate and central New York, 23 counties in western Pennsylvania, 8 counties in New Jersey, 76 counties in Mississippi, and four in western Massachusetts.  Each of those areas received $2 million while the four western counties of Western Massachusetts received $772,000.

The new award was announced today by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald as part of $207 million in SSVF grants nationwide that will help an additional 70,000 homeless and at-risk veterans and their families that will be distributed to 82 non-profit agencies. Additional funding for targeting high-need communities with high numbers of homeless veterans is also included.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs is committed to using evidence based approaches such as SSVF to prevent homelessness and produce successful outcomes for veterans and their families,” McDonald said. “This is a program that works, because it allows VA staff and local homeless service providers to work together to address the unique challenges that make it difficult for some veterans and their families to remain stably housed.”

Soldier On received its first SSVF grant in October 2011.  It now reaches approximately 3,500 homeless and at-risk veterans and their families in the five states.

Under its innovative concept, Soldier On equips teams of mobile rapid-response units that deliver its intake and supportive services directly to the veteran households. The SSVF grants enable the agency to provide supportive services, outreach in the community and, with the VA, case management, assistance with obtaining VA benefits and other services. Also covered are assistance with obtaining health care, financial planning, transportation, legal services and housing counseling. In addition, these grants may also provide temporary financial assistance for rent, security and utility deposits, utility fees, moving costs, child care, and emergency services.

“Soldier On is proud to partner with the Department of Veterans Administration in serving the veterans of Berkshire County, “Soldier On President and CEO John F. Downing said. This particular grant allows us to serve the most vulnerable of the veterans in an attempt to achieve housing stability and life-long security in the Berkshire community by utilizing VA resources in conjunction with community-based systems of care so that veterans can remain housed and not ever face homelessness again.”

“I would also like to express my gratitude for the support of Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey and Representatives John McGovern and Richie Neal,” Downing added.

The SSVF grants are part of the VA’s goal to end homelessness by 2015, which has been reduced by 33 percent since 2010, according to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. With a success rate of 84 percent, and an average cost per veteran family of only $2,480, the SSVF program is a low-cost, high-impact way to make successful interventions.

Soldier On also provides safe and supportive transitional housing for approximately 225 veterans in Pittsfield, MA and Leeds, MA, and permanent cooperative housing at its 39-unit Gordon H. Mansfield Community in Pittsfield. Its multi-faceted approach to meeting the needs of veterans also includes transitional housing for women veterans and a Women’s Wellness Center, 45 hours of weekly programming for incarcerated veterans at the Albany (NY) House of Correction, and a comprehensive transportation services program.

Image from http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Veterans-have-new-home-aid-at-Albany-County-jail-5746587.php#photo-6844276

Incarcerated veterans at the Albany County Jail will be offered an opportunity for a new lease on life through a collaboration between the jail and Soldier On, the multi-state agency that provides comprehensive services to homeless and at-risk veterans.

Beginning this month, veterans willing to participate in the program will be separated into their own pod at the jail where they will be interviewed and assessed and then provided special counseling and other services with the intent of fully reintegrating them back into the community and reducing their rate of recidivism.  Each veteran will be individually evaluated for their needs around substance abuse, physical and mental health, and behavioral history and then provided services specifically tailored to the veteran’s personal needs.

The program is a result of conversations initiated by Sheriff Craig Apple and Director of Services Theron Rockwell, both of whom had already embarked upon instituting systems within the jail to address the social concerns and needs of veteran inmates, according to Jack Downing, President and CEO of Soldier On.

“After further meetings with jail staff and some of the veteran inmates, we knew we had the resources to run an excellent program,” Downing says. Soldier On had already been providing services to incarcerated veterans elsewhere through its Veterans Justice Partnership Program, in which services are coordinated among treatment providers, courts, probation officers and others to help establish alternatives to incarceration. Soldier On will bring a cadre of service providers to the jail, including four staff members with over 75 years’ experience in corrections. Dr.  Kevin Cahill, mental health counselor. at Soldier On, and Soldier On Chaplain Quentin Chin will also have roles.

The pod will consist of approximately 45 hours of programming each week with the intent of making an impact on veterans when they leave the institution.

“This is a very innovative and progressive program,” Downing says. “We are going in and collaborating with the sheriff’s department to work on issues of sobriety and personal responsibility to instill self-respect and integrity back into the lives of these veterans. We want to develop those as core values by which both Soldier On and the Sheriff’s Department interact with all the inmates at the jail.”

Soldier On’s extensive intake system is set up to comprehensively address the veteran’s needs, including registering him with the Veterans Administration and other services the veteran is entitled to upon release.  Each veteran’s history of substance abuse, mental health, anger and personal reactions are evaluated to identify areas of treatment.

“Soldier On tries to tailor every program to the veterans’ personal needs,” Downing said. “We have no cookie-cutter programs. If we can enhance each veteran’s personal dignity, that is the basis for building self-respect. By building a back-and-forth conversation with the veteran, a relationship occurs in which trust is established. Building trust is a big part of the program.”

Some twenty-three of the jail’s population of 43 veterans showed up for the program’s initial sign-up – a good core group to start the pod and begin to build a culture within the jail that will spread to other veterans and inmates, Downing said. The program will continue to operate in the pod for five days a week with some weekend activity to ensure operations are running smoothly and the correction officers in the pod are getting support. Costs for the program will initially be covered by Soldier On resources and staffing patterns, Downing says, with plans to seek grant funding on both the state and federal level to expand the program services without further internal cost to his agency.

“We are tremendously grateful to Sheriff Apple for extending this opportunity to us on his own initiative by identifying the need within his jail and deciding after examining Soldier On’s past work that it was the right fit for this program,”  Downing says.

Soldier On currently operates veterans’ programs in five states. Its mission is to end homelessness among veterans by providing permanent, sustainable, safe, affordable housing with support services that veterans own and operate. Soldier On believes that within an environment of integrity, dignity and hope, veterans can regain physical and mental stability, housing and employment and economic stability, and become fully franchised and contributing members of their community.

“The VA is pleased to be supportive of this new community relationship which recognizes the needs of veterans who are incarcerated,” said Linda Weiss, Director of the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center.  “I’d like to commend Sherriff Craig Apple and Albany County for their dedication to the needs of all veterans.  Their proactive approach and partnership has enhanced services such as Project Life Saver helping to keep veterans safe and now this initiative which helps those who are incarcerated, bringing them services they need and lessening the likelihood of becoming repeat offenders.

I’d also like to recognize and thank Soldier On, a wonderful community partner and support for veterans, for their continued innovations in meeting veterans where they are and seeing them through their life needs. The VA is highly appreciative of the community support reflected in this relationship as we all continue to assist veterans in their recovery and healing.”

By Heidi Redlitz, Crime Wire

Go to the crime section of any news outlet, and you’re sure to find stories that disturb or revolt you—and which definitely diminish your faith in humanity. But people are also doing pretty spectacular things for themselves and their neighbors, from giving the homeless a renewed sense of dignity, to using arts and crafts to raise awareness for local and global issues. To offset the strange stories and daunting crime stats that circulate in the news every day, here are 15 cases of community members working together to make their neighborhoods a happier, safer place to live.

1) An Old Bus Becomes A Free Restroom For The Homeless

Now here’s an innovative way to get more people to ‘use’ public transportation. A nonprofit group, called Lava Mae, has outfitted a former public transit bus so that the homeless in San Francisco can use it as a restroom. The bus includes two full private bathrooms that offer hot showers, shampoo, soap, towels, and even relaxing music.

Since its water source comes from city fire hydrants, this public bathroom can move across the city to reach a larger population of homeless, and avoid rent hikes or evictions that a permanent structure would be vulnerable to.

“If you’re homeless, you’re living on the streets and you’re filthy, you’re trying to improve your circumstances, but you can’t interview for a job, you can’t apply for housing and you get disconnected from your sense of humanity,” Doniece Sandoval said. “So a shower just in of itself is amazing for people.”

2) Local Communities Step In To Assist Veterans

Just this month, the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) asked Congress for thousands more employees and billions more dollars in funding. Since the VA’s resources were stretched thin, 46,000 local organizations stepped in where the VA fell short. The VA still maintains a crucial role in veteran care, offering specialized brain injury work, occupational therapy, and other advanced care for wounded veterans. But community organizations can offer practical services—job training, housing, financial and marital counseling, addiction treatment, short-term loans, and more—that help get veterans and their families back on their feet.

Community involvement can be highly effective because it fills the gaps left open by a giant bureaucracy. After all, it was a community-based organization, not the VA, that saved the life of Army veteran Sam Bennett. With the personalized attention and support he received from Soldier On, Bennett was able to heal from years of depression, addiction, crime and homelessness. He’s now a case manager for the nonprofit.

“There are just some things that government can’t do, that independent organizations, working together locally, can do,” said David W. Sutherland, a retired infantry officer who runs a nonprofit in Cincinnati.

3) ‘Swingin’ Seniors’ Build New Foundations For Families In Need

The Swingin’ Seniors of York, PA don’t get their name from taking weekly dance classes; they get it from swinging hammers to construct homes for families in need. The group’s 12 retirees, aged 60 to 80 years old, volunteer twice a week with York County’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Currently, the team is working on the Hanover Build, a project to construct a wheelchair-accessible home for a single mom and her 13-year-old daughter who has cerebral palsy and is wheelchair-bound.

4) Columbia City Created Its Own Economic Recovery Through Art

When Columbia City, WA faced continual business closures in the mid 90s, a group of residents and merchants organized a committee to brainstorm revitalization projects. Among the successful ideas were an event showcasing the neighborhood’s ethnic restaurants; a farmer’s market featuring literature tables and live music; a garden tour and BBQ cook-off; and a parking strip turned into a garden.

The committee’s most noteworthy venture, however, was a vacant half-block where residents painted murals of imaginary businesses on boarded up storefronts. The painted ice cream parlor, bookstore, toy store, hat shop, and dance studio looked so realistic, motorists actually stopped to shop! The project was a huge success, as the murals were removed a year later to make room for actual businesses. Today, Columbia City has no empty stores.

5) 350 Musicians Gather In New York To Create An Unforgettable Concert Experience

You’ve heard of a Flash Mob, where people meet in a public place to perform a short dance, and then disperse as quickly as they gathered. How about a Clash Mob? That’s what you get when 350 musicians, of all ages and skill levels, come together for a one-time-only performance on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library.

Make Music New York is an annual, citywide festival that offers hundreds of free concerts in public spaces for one day. Since National Public Radio commissions new music for the festival, they asked a local musician, Sunny Jain, to compose a song. He created a piece called “100+ BPM,” short for “beats per minute” and “Brooklyn Public Music.”

“This is more about community than about sound,” Jain said before the performance began. “I have no idea what it’s going to sound like, I have never done anything like this before.”

Event organizers published the score online so musicians could practice it in advance. Despite never having practiced the song together, the result was epic. Even through a video of the performance, the enthusiasm of the impromptu music ensemble is extremely palpable.

6) Spanish Typographers Find Innovative Way To Help The Homeless

Homeless individuals have few belongings to share, but they still have a voice. For a group of graphic designers in Spain, that voice is best expressed through their handwriting.

Homeless Fonts is an initiative that creates typefaces based on the penmanship of homeless men and women. Each font is displayed on the organization’s website, so the public can read the creators’ stories, and then purchase the fonts to use in almost anything: ads, posters, packaging, social media messages, etc.

Profits go toward the Arrels Foundation, an organization that offers support to homeless people in Barcelona, Spain.

7) Denver Restaurant Asks Patrons To “Pay What You Can” (Tax And Tip Included)

Borne from a sketch on a cocktail napkin, SAME Café (short for “So All May Eat”) emphasizes “serving good food for the greater good.” The restaurant’s founders, Libby and Brady Birk, wanted a way for residents with limited means to eat healthy foods. Funded by patron donations, SAME Café uses “pay what you can” as its motto to offer local, organic food to anyone who enters. If patrons can’t pay anything, they volunteer for an hour in the kitchen or dining area. The café has become a fixture in Denver, having served over 90,000 people in the last eight years.

8) Burrito Riders Deliver Homemade Burritos By Bike

The Burrito Riders are a bicycle-fueled gang of activists who want to feed the homeless in their neighborhoods. They’re not the only group to make and hand out burritos to the hungry (the Burrito Project allows anyone set up a project in their community), but The Burrito Riders of Louisville, KY are a successful group: during their 60 to 90-minute rides, they give away about 200 burritos. Anyone is welcome to ride, and those who don’t want to bike can volunteer by supplying and making the burritos.

9) Instead Of Dishing Out Bird Seed, These Little Houses Help People Read

Instead of passing out burritos to underfed urban populations, this grassroots initiative seeks to hand out books to hungry readers. The Little Free Library is a program in which anyone can build an outdoor wooden stand that holds donated books. The concept started in Wisconsin in 2009, and it has expanded to 15,000 “free libraries” worldwide.

The program’s rule of thumb is “take a book, return a book,” so community members can use the mini libraries as meeting spots to share and discuss their favorite literature. The program is especially useful for isolated areas without access to public libraries.

“If we can get only one kid to read, (who) wasn’t reading before, for $75… that’s a cheap investment,” said Mike Kearby, who lives in a rural Texas town without a public library.

10) San Francisco Restaurant Serves You A Slice Of Pie With A Side Of Humanity

Delancey Restaurant serves up a delicious array of comfort food, and the best meatloaf you’ll ever have (15 years after trying it, I still think about that first bite). While the food is noteworthy, what’s really remarkable is that the entire establishment is run by former prisoners, addicts, and homeless individuals trying to get back on their feet.

Run by a foundation of the same name, Delancey Street Restaurant was named in honor of the immigrants who came through Ellis Island to live on Delancey Street, in New York’s Lower East Side. Just as these immigrants came from all over the world to start a new life, so the foundation caters to anyone who has hit bottom and needs to rebuild their life.

The restaurant is completely designed, built, and operated by Delancey Street residents. Meanwhile, owners, chefs and wait staff of San Francisco’s best restaurants help train workers to cook, manage, and serve.

All proceeds from the restaurant fund housing, food, and clothing for residents. And since all tips are considered donations, don’t hesitate to leave a really big tip.

11) Community Farm Grows Produce For Baltimore’s Food Deserts

East Baltimore Midway is one of dozens of Baltimore neighborhoods that are “food deserts”—urban or rural areas deprived of access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. To provide nutritious fruits and vegetables to local residents, Cheryl Carmona and Aliza Sollins established Boone St. Farms, an urban farm and community garden cultivated from two formerly vacant plots. Dozens of community members have pitched in since it was established in 2010, and Boone St. Farm has since grown thousands of pounds of affordable produce for residents.

12) Grandmas In Lawn Chairs Keep Crack Dealers Off Street Corners

Grandmothers in the Yesler Terrace public community wanted to get rid of crack dealers in their Seattle neighborhood, so they set up lawn chairs on street corners occupied by drug dealers. It seems that even drug dealers don’t like to be on a grandma’s bad side, because the presence of elderly women knitting and chatting was enough to keep them away. A nearby community followed suit by declaring their neighborhood a drug-free zone, and leading Friday night marches through their streets. Taking a zero-tolerance communal stand against crime through civilian and police foot patrols, has been a seriously effective way to reduce illegal activity.

13) Suburban Eyesores Become Vibrant Green Spaces

Paradise Project is a Montreal-based program that sets up suburban beautification projects. For the group’s most recent venture, volunteers laid down mulch and planted flowers on a piece of property that had been left undeveloped. The club decided the abandoned property was an eyesore, and could do better with some green space. When they first cleared the property, volunteers found broken bottles, syringes, vines, and overgrown plants. Now it’s a corner of bright color and dense greenery. Residents of an extended-care facility next door to the property were ecstatic with the results.

“All (the residents) have been doing is talking about the flowers,” said Louis Carpentier, the facility’s director. “Many of them used to have gardens of their own but they can’t get out any more.”

14) Devastating Storm Has A Silver Lining For Kent County Community

The efforts of Kent County’s residents provide a reassuring example of how social media can reinforce community ties. Earlier this month, an 80-mph storm ravaged Kent County, MI, leaving behind a trail of crushed homes and downed trees. In an effort to organize clean-up events and help clear away the rubble surrounding the homes of affected residents, a group set up a Facebook page, The Helping Hands ~ Kent County Residents Helping Those in Need.

The clean-up efforts are ongoing. Most recently, the Facebook page announced that a food truck would be available to replenish food that residents had lost from power outages.

15) Craftivism Weaves Social Messages Into Art Pieces

Sarah Corbett was a “burned out activist” who’d grown tired of joining demonstrations, signing petitions, and attending campaign meetings. As an introvert who liked to sew, she asked herself, Why not use crafts to discuss global issues in a non-threatening and engaging way? Craftivism (“activism through craft”) had been coined as a term in 2003, but there were no groups or projects she knew of.

So Corbett set up the Craftivist Collective in 2009, which has since stitched together pieces that address global issues. As part of the Jigsaw Project that supported Save The Children’s Race Against Hunger campaign, hundreds of UK crafters stitched together fabric jigsaw pieces containing thought-provoking messages. The project reached 19 million according to various media outlets, and is just one of many ideas the Craftivist Collective has up their knitted sleeves.

Do YOU have any stories of your community coming together for a cause? Please let us know in the comments below! Then share this on your social media pages so we can spread some positive news.

Source: http://blog.instantcheckmate.com/15-ingenious-ways-that-people-just-like-you-gave-back-to-their-communities/

Over $83 Million Will Build or Preserve 1,328 Units of Housing, Create Over 2,000 Construction Jobs

SPRINGFIELD – Monday, July 7, 2014 – Governor Deval Patrick today announced $83.6 million in funding to create 24 affordable housing projects across the state, building on the Patrick Administration’s commitment to improving housing infrastructure to support growth and opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. In all, the projects will create 1,328 units of housing and over 2,000 jobs.

“Affordable housing helps to generate jobs, grow local businesses and strengthen our communities” said Governor Patrick. “Government’s role is to help people help themselves, and sustainable affordable housing will create growth and opportunity in our communities that will last for generations to come.”

Since 2007, the Patrick Administration has invested over $1 billion in state and federal resources to create 24,000 units of housing, of which approximately 22,000 are affordable.

Last week, Governor Patrick released his Fiscal Year 2015 Capital Investment Plan, which builds upon the Administration’s successful efforts to stimulate job creation and support long-term economic growth by making record level investments in higher education, innovation and infrastructure projects. The FY15 Capital Plan continues to make investments in low-income housing development, including increased levels of funding for programs that support the production and preservation of affordable housing for low-income families and individuals, as well as community-based housing for clients of the Department of Mental Health and Department of Developmental Services.

“Providing quality housing to those who need it must be a priority,” said Congressman Mike Capuano. “I commend the Patrick Administration for its commitment to creating housing for families most in need.”

“Even as our economy continues to improve, more and more families are having difficulty finding safe, affordable housing,” said Congressman Jim McGovern.  “I’m particularly pleased to see the investments in Northampton and Greenfield announced today. I commend the Patrick Administration for their continued commitment to this important issue.”

“These funds will help provide affordable and secure housing to families in Fitchburg, Haverhill, and Lunenburg, with economic ripple effects across the Third District,” said Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. “Projects such as these prioritize the reuse of historic buildings, boost the local economy and help put people back to work, making them a valuable investment in our communities.”

In November 2012, Governor Patrick announced the Commonwealth’s goal of creating 10,000 multi-family housing units per year. By creating this type of housing, which is attractive to young families and individuals, Massachusetts is better prepared to keep in state the skilled, young workforce which employers are seeking.

Last fall, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki accepted a national “workforce housing” award from the Urban Land Institute, recognizing the Patrick Administration’s leadership in pursuing a strategy to increase the supply of housing needed, and in the places needed, for its workforce.

Improving the housing stock at all levels is a priority for the Patrick Administration. Along with creating new housing, the Administration has made significant investments in the Commonwealth’s public housing stock, by preserving and improving the 46,000 housing units in the system through increased capital funding, increased operating subsidies and changes in management of those resources.

“Housing is the cornerstone to economic success in the Commonwealth,” said Undersecretary of the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Aaron Gornstein. “Through key initiatives and collaborations across state government and with our local partners, we continue to ensure a stable and robust housing market for our neighbors and our communities. Expanding and preserving affordable housing opportunities for families and seniors with modest incomes is especially important.”

“This investment in affordable housing is critical for families living in the high-cost, Metro-Boston area,” said State Senator Sal DiDomenico. “These developments are vital to keeping Massachusetts’s competitive edge in our current economy, keeping valuable workers from moving out of state, and will give average residents the ability to live, work, and send their children to schools in the cities and communities that they call home.”

“These investments will make sure high quality affordable housing is within the reach of working families,” said State Senator Benjamin B. Downing. “I applaud the Patrick administration for maintaining their commitment to investing in communities across Massachusetts.”

“I am thrilled by Governor Patrick’s announcement today about continued investments in affordable housing,” said State Senator James T. Welch. “Preserving and creating affordable housing is essential to the success and stability of families here in Western Massachusetts and throughout the Commonwealth.”

“The Fitchburg Yarn Mill is a historic complex of buildings on the Nashua River,” said Representative Stephen L. DiNatale. “This revitalization project is a beautiful example of an effective public-private partnership and a successful redevelopment project.”

“This will be a great help in restoring a significant number of housing units in one of the City’s oldest, and more substantial, complexes,” said Pittsfield Mayor Dan Bianchi.

“The City of Greenfield, a “green” community, has been a staunch supporter of Governor Patrick’s call to rebuild affordable housing for all levels of the wage scale,” said Greenfield Mayor William Martin. “As an active participant evidenced by new and substantial rehabilitation of the 55-year-old Oak Courts Veterans family housing of 72 units and single family home developments in several locations, Greenfield will provide additional modern and energy efficient housing at Leyden Woods for working families. This housing, coupled with the availability of new jobs in surrounding industries, will continue the momentum toward our economic development goals. I thank the Governor and Secretary Bialecki for recognizing Greenfield as a partner on their team.”

“This funding for Highland Woods is crucial to Williamstown’s goals of increasing affordable housing and relocating residents of The Spruces mobile home park decimated by Tropical Storm Irene,” said Williamstown Town Manager Peter L. Fohlin. “Governor Patrick and Secretary Bialecki have been steadfast supporters of our recovery efforts to provide homes for as many Spruces families as possible, as well as other deserving seniors. “This project is only possible thanks to the committed partnership of private developers, town funding, and State financial and technical support.”

The following projects were announced today:

75 Amory Avenue, Boston, is a new construction project located in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood and sponsored by Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC).  DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, federal HOME funds and state bond subsidies; the City of Boston also will support the project. When completed, 75 Amory Avenue will offer 39 affordable units for families, with eight units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

RTH Riverway, Boston, is a new construction project located in the Longwood Medical Area and sponsored by Roxbury Tenants of Harvard (RTH).  DHCD will support RTH Riverway with federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits, federal HOME funds and state bond subsidies; the City of Boston also will provide funds to the project. When completed, the project will include 60 affordable units for families, with 14 units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Whittier-Lyndhurst-Washington, Boston, is a part preservation, part historic re-use and part new construction project located in the Dorchester neighborhood  and sponsored by Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation. DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, federal HOME funds, and state bond subsidies; the City of Boston also will support the project.  When completed, Whittier-Lyndhurst-Washington will offer 44 affordable units for families, with 13 units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Port Landing, Cambridge, is a new construction project located in Kendall Square sponsored by Capstone Communities and Hope Real Estate.  DHCD will support the project with Housing Stabilization Funds, Commercial Area Transit Node Program Funds, Affordable Housing Trust Funds; the City of Cambridge will also support the project.  When completed, the project will include 20 affordable units for families, with two reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Chapin School Veterans Housing, Chicopee, is the adaptive re-use of a historic school building.  The project is jointly sponsored by Soldier On, Inc. and the O’Connell Development Group, Inc.  DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits.  It will also be supported by funding from the City of Chicopee.  When completed, Chapin School will offer 43 units of housing for veterans, all of which will be affordable.  Nine of the 43 units will be reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Village at Lincoln Park, Dartmouth, is a new construction family housing project to be built on the site of a former amusement park.  It is the first of several phases to be built on the site which received a 40R designation.  Other planned phases include an elderly rental project, as well as single family homes.  The Town is very supportive and has contributed $100,000 from the Dartmouth Affordable Housing Trust Fund to this phase of the project.  This phase will consist of 36 family units, of which four will be reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Island Creek Village North Age Restricted, Duxbury, is a new construction project sponsored by Beacon Communities. DHCD will support the project with federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Affordable Housing Trust Funds.  When completed, Island Creek Village North Age Restricted will offer 94 units of affordable housing for residents aged 55 and older.  The sponsor is reserving 19 of the 94 units for households earning less than 30 percent of the area median income.

Fitchburg Yarn Mill Phase III, Fitchburg, is the adaptive re-use of a historic mill building sponsored by Winn Development. DHCD will support the project with federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits, federal HOME, Housing Stabilization Fund, Community Based Housing, Facilities Consolidation Fund and Affordable Housing Trust Fund subsidies.  When completed, Fitchburg Yarn Mill will offer 38 units of affordable housing for families.  The sponsor is reserving 10 of the 94 total units for households earning less than 30 percent of the area median income.

Leyden Woods Apartments, Phase I, Greenfield, is a new construction and preservation project sponsored by The Community Builders.  DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, state Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Capital Improvement and Preservation Fund, Community Based Housing, Facilities Consolidation Fund and Affordable Housing Trust Fund subsidies.  When completed, Leyden Woods Apartments Phase I will offer 113 units of affordable housing for families.  The sponsor is reserving 23 of the 113 units for households earning less than 30 percent of the area median income.

Tenney Place Apartments Phase I, Haverhill, is a new construction project sponsored by Dakota Partners.  DHCD will support Tenney Place Apartments with federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits, federal HOME funds and state bond subsidies; the City of Haverhill also will support the project.  When completed, Tenney Place Apartments will offer 72 affordable units for families; 56 units will be affordable, with eight units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Tritown Landing Phase III, Lunenberg, is a new construction project sponsored by Great Bridge Properties. DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, federal HOME, Housing Stabilization Funds and Affordable Housing Trust Fund subsidies.  When completed, Tritown Landing Phase III will offer 32 units of affordable housing for families.  The sponsor is reserving four of the 32 units for households earning less than 30 percent of the area median income.

Shoe Shop Place, Middleborough, is the adaptive re-use of a historic mill building.  The project is jointly sponsored by The Neighborhood Corporation and Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc.  DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Affordable Housing Trust Fund subsidies.  It will also be supported by funding from the Town of Middleborough and the Greater Attleboro and Taunton HOME Consortium.  When completed, Shoe Shop Place will offer 24 units of housing for families, all of which will be affordable.  Five of the 24 units will be reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Christopher Heights, Northampton, is a new construction project sponsored by The Grantham Group.  DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Affordable Housing Trust Fund subsidies.  It will also be supported by funding from the City of Northampton.  When completed, Christopher Heights will offer 83 units of Assisted Living housing for seniors, 43 of which will be affordable.  Seventeen of the 43 affordable units will be reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Leeds Transitional Housing, Northampton, is a new construction project sponsored by Soldier On, Inc.  DHCD will support the project with Housing Innovation Funds and Affordable Housing Trust Funds.  When completed, the project will include 16 units for women veterans and their children, with four units reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Dalton Apartments, Pittsfield, is a preservation project and sponsored by the Berkshire Housing Development Corporation and Rees-Larkin Development.  DHCD will support the project with federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits and state bond subsidies; the City of Pittsfield also will support the project.  When completed, Dalton Apartments will offer 100 affordable units for families, with 10 units reserved for families earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Stable Path Rental Housing, Provincetown, is a new construction project sponsored by the Community Housing Resource, Inc.  DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, federal HOME, and state Housing Stabilization and Affordable Housing Trust Fund subsidies.  It will also be supported by funding from the Town of Provincetown and the Barnstable County HOME Consortium.  When completed, Stable Path will offer 23 units of housing for families, 18 of which will be affordable.  Five of the 23 units are reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Kendrigan Place, Quincy, is a preservation project located in Quincy and sponsored by NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts.  DHCD will support the project with Low Income Housing Tax Credits, state Low Income Housing Tax Credits, federal HOME, Community Based Housing, Capital Improvement and Preservation Fund and Affordable Housing Trust Fund subsidies.  It will also be supported by Quincy HOME, the Community Preservation Coalition and City of Quincy Affordable Housing Trust funding.  When completed, 78 units of affordable housing will be preserved. Eight of the units will be reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

189 Broadway, Revere, is a new construction project for seniors sponsored by The Neighborhood Developers.  DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Facilities Consolidation Fund and federal HOME funds. The development will also receive funding from the North Suburban HOME Consortium. When completed, 189 Broadway will offer 39 units of affordable housing for adults aged 55 and older.  The sponsor is reserving four of the 39 units for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Kenwyn Quadrangle, Springfield, is the preservation of two historic buildings that currently house low and moderate-income families.  Each property has been owned and managed by HAPHousing for over 15 years.  Kenwyn Apartments completed its 15-year Low Income Housing Tax Credit compliance (LIHTC) period in 2010; Quadrangle Court completed its 15-year LIHTC compliance period in 2013.  The buildings need recapitalization and additional historic, life and safety improvements.  Together they comprise 60 units of housing, of which six will be set aside for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Outing Park II, Springfield, is a preservation and new construction project located in the Outing Park Historic District and is sponsored by the First Resource Development Company.  DHCD will support the project with federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits, federal HOME funds and state bond subsidies; the City of Springfield also will support the project. When completed, Outing Park II will offer 118 affordable units for families, with 12 units reserved for families earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Cranberry Manor & Carpenter’s Glen, Wareham and Taunton, is the restructuring of two projects that will bring needed capital improvement and continued affordability to these two affordable housing resources on the South Shore.  The project is sponsored by the South Shore Housing Development Corporation, which is the current owner of the project.  DHCD will support the project with Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Housing Stabilization Fund and Community Based Housing funds.  Six of the units will be reserved for families earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

Highland Woods, Williamstown, is a new construction project sponsored by Berkshire Housing, Inc.  DHCD will support the project with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Housing Stabilization Fund and Affordable Housing Trust Fund subsidies.  It will also be supported by funding from the Town of Williamstown.  When completed, Highland Woods will offer 40 units of housing for seniors, all of which will be affordable.  Eight of the 40 units will be reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

John Howland Jr. House, New Bedford, is the adaptive re-use of a historic building in New Bedford.  The project is sponsored by the Waterfront Historic Area League.  DHCD will support the project with federal HOME funds.  It will also be supported by funding from the City of New Bedford.  When completed, Howland House will offer seven units of housing, five of which will be affordable.

181 Washington Street, Somerville, is a new construction project located in Union Square, Somerville and sponsored by the Somerville Community Corporation.  DHCD will support the project with federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits, AHTF, CBH and HSF.  The development will also receive funding from the City of Somerville.  When completed, 181 Washington will offer 35 units of affordable family housing.  The sponsor is reserving eight units of the 35 units for households earning less than 30 percent of area median income.

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http://www.mass.gov/governor/pressoffice/pressreleases/2014/0707-governor-announces-affordable-housing-investment.html

A benefit concert featuring The Charlie Daniels Band and Marshall Tucker Band at the Times Union Center last month raised more than $37,000 for Soldier On. At a press conference held on June 25^th, the check was presented by Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, Shop Rite representatives, and Bob Belber, general manager of the Times Union Center. Earlier in the day, a motorcycle run and street festival were organized by Pearl Street Jam. The donations will be used to build a campus at the former Ann Lee Home, which will serve as permanent, supportive, sustainable housing for formerly homeless veterans.

Jack Downing, President/CEO of Soldier On stated, “We need to galvanize the community around the issue. We need to work with the legislature to make sure everybody’s understanding is satisfied and that the people see this is a project that will not just benefit the veterans we serve, but the entire community.”

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy stated, “This nation’s never called more on its citizen soldiers than it has in the last 12 years. All these troops have done is train to go to war and to fight, and now they’re coming off active duty at high numbers and they’re looking for assistance. They’re looking for help. We need to be that crutch.”

The project is slated to begin construction within 18 months and will provide permanent housing for over 100 formerly homeless veterans. Like the Gordon H. Mansfield Community in Pittsfield, MA, this cooperative will provide veterans with case management, substance abuse counseling, mental health services, employment and training, and transportation.

Soldier On looks forward to building more veterans housing in Albany and is incredibly grateful for the extreme generosity shown by the people and public officials throughout the entire benefit.

Carin Rhodes is a veteran of the United States Army, a recipient of Soldier On’s outreach services, and, most recently, a peer specialist for Soldier On’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families program in eastern New York.

Carin graduated from Taconic High School in June of 1996. Six months later, she enrolled in the National Guard in North Adams and served there for 2 ½ years before joining the U.S. Army. Carin spent a total of 8 ½ years on duty and was stationed in Hawaii and Georgia. While stationed in Hawaii, Carin married and she and her husband had three children. In May 2005, she discharged from the Army in order to focus more on her education and children. She worked as a government contractor and began school full-time in July 2006. In June 2010, Carin graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Mental Health.

In 2011, Carin separated from her husband and she and her three children moved back to Massachusetts. Shortly after, her husband joined the family and they bought a house in Pittsfield. In April 2013, however, the two ended up divorcing. Carin got a job at a social service agency in Pittsfield but the pay, her savings, and her education benefits weren’t enough to sustain their living situation. She was receiving no financial help from her husband and she couldn’t afford the rent by herself. That’s when Carin sought help from Soldier On.

Carin visited the Soldier On site in Pittsfield and spoke to Dominick Sondrini, Supervisor of Soldier On’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) New York State outreach programs. Dominick gave Carin the organization’s intake number, 1-866-406-8449, and scheduled an appointment with a case manager. Carin met with the Soldier On/Springfield Partners case manager at the local library. The following day, Carin was contacted and told that she was approved for financial assistance with a security deposit and the first month’s rent for an apartment that she had found on Craigslist upon eviction from her previous home.

Carin’s new home has 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, a fenced in backyard, and a basement with laundry. She and her three children were able to move in to their new home in December of 2013.

Carin is now employed at Soldier On as a peer specialist in eastern New York. She is currently enrolled at Cambridge College for her Master’s Degree in Mental Health and Substance Abuse and expected to graduate in December 2014. Soldier On is paying for Carin to finish her Master’s Degree and helping with her internship hours. Carin was also given a new vehicle with her position and says she loves her job. In her peer mentor position, Carin conducts follow up meeting with veterans, and organizes community outreach such as work in soup kitchens, shelters, and donation centers.

Carin takes her experience as one of learning and discovery. “Never judge a book by its cover”, she learned. Looking back on her experience with Soldier On, Carin summarizes, “I am grateful.”

Expand health benefits to cover care for veterans outside the VA system.

By John Downing

Many VA medical centers are not sufficiently responsive to the needs of America’s veterans. Those who have fought should have a choice in where they get services that effectively meet their needs, including private medical care.

The VA health care system needs to become a partner in a community-based services approach if our nation’s veterans are going to receive effective care and support. Many new initiatives that are aligned with best practices are being implemented in the VA health care system. For instance, it is shifting from a focus on disease management to a patient-centered health promotion model. Patient Aligned Care Teams will integrate primary care, behavioral health and social support needs in many places.

Still, there are multiple systemic and retrograde “cultural practices” in many regional offices and VA medical campuses that pose barriers for veterans to access available care systems. Both the Veterans Benefits and Health administrations function within siloed structures and collaborative communication pathways have yet to be developed. Pension and benefits approval continue to be backlogged. Local and regional loyalties often take precedent over loyalty to the VA central administration’s initiatives. Staff hiring at medical facilities is slow and has not kept pace with needs because of aging veterans, recent combat veterans entering the system, new claims of Agent Orange exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries and sexual traumas.

Soldier On is an example of an integrated, community-based approach to serving veterans. We are one of the largest community-based providers of shelter, housing and supportive services, operating seven Supportive Services for Veteran Families grants throughout five eastern states. Next year, we are slated to increase our breadth of service and assist more than 5,315 veterans. Of the 306 veterans we house in our beds each night in our three Massachusetts locations, 98 percent are dually enrolled in both MassHealth and VA health care.
Soldier On’s service model is shifting from a shelter-bed provider to one that offers safe, sustainable and affordable permanent housing to veterans and flexible outreach services at the location of a former service member’s choice. These include transportation, medical, case management and mental health outreach where they live so that veterans have access to the appropriate level of services and receive support that ensures their well-being and dignity.

Soldier On partners with community-based agencies through its service areas, which provide targeted specialty services such as tenancy preservation, mediation and locating affordable housing. Peer specialists are trained by partnering organizations to assist veterans who have difficulty maintaining health, economic and housing stability. These strategies are effective because they are based on flexible, integrated care models, providing the right level and intensity of service based on a needs assessment and participant-driven housing stabilization plan. This also promotes collaborative, rather than duplicative, local and regional services through partnerships with other community-based agencies, health care, local government and businesses.

We urge our leaders to streamline veterans’ access to health care services through multiple front doors. We owe this level of responsiveness and respect to veterans who met their contract with America. It is our turn to meet this contract.

Soldier On experienced a very successful 2014 Memorial Day Weekend! We hosted our first Memorial Day Silent Auction at the marathon races at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA. The auction was extremely successful due to the generosity of local companies and community supporters. The auction and other individual donations that weekend raised over $6,000 for Soldier On and our veterans programs!

On Monday, Soldier On staff and veterans marched in Memorial Day parades in Pittsfield and Leeds, MA. Following the parade, Soldier On executive chef and staff hosted Memorial Day picnics for our men and women to enjoy!

A very special thank you to all of our volunteers, from Soldier On and General Dynamics, runners, bidders, and to the Memorial Day Marathon Races for hosting us!

Soldier On Memorial Day Silent Auction

Soldier On Half Marathon Runners

Soldier On Runners and Volunteers

Soldier On Volunteers

Soldier On Silent Auction

Jack Downing, President/CEO Soldier On

2014 Memorial Day Parade

Proud Women Veterans

Soldier On employee James Ziemba was awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department. The award was presented to Jim last night, May 22, 2014, at the Twenty Seventh Annual Volunteer Appreciation Night. The appreciation dinner and presentation of the award took place at the Western Massachusetts Correctional Alcohol Center in Springfield.

Jim was chosen as this year’s recipient of the Gormally Award for all of the work that he does throughout Hampden County and Western Massachusetts with veterans in need, particularly incarcerated veterans. Assistant Deputy Sheriff James Gill and Deacon William Toller presented the award to Jim, thanking him for all of his hard work and dedication.

Congratulations Jim! This award is a result of all of your hard work and is well-deserved!