VA Awards $3.5 Million To Wisconsin Groups That Help Homeless Veterans

Five Wisconsin agencies that serve the needs of homeless veterans just got a financial boost from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

The VA has awarded $3.5 million to the homeless veterans initiative. $2 million will be going to the Center for Veterans Issues in Milwaukee where it will serve more than 800 veterans and their families in southeastern Wisconsin. The Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin (CACSCW) will be getting $323,000 to serve a three-county area.

“We run into a lot of veterans who are literally homeless,” says Kristina Dux of CACSCW. “But then also we’re able to serve veterans who need to stay in their housing. They’re faced with losing their job and getting behind on rent and need some homeless prevention.”

Dux says the program served 40 families last year and expects to serve more than 60 this year.

Three other agencies that serve veterans on the Wisconsin-Illinois border, western and northwestern Wisconsin also received grants. The new grants are expected to serve 120,000 homeless and at-risk veterans and their families nationally this year.