"Ohio Valley Goodwill Secures Nearly $1 Million in Grants to Support Homeless Veterans"
L to R: Goodwill Veterans Team Members, John Briggs, Community Liaison and Charlie Blythe, Grants Director Ohio Valley Goodwill is proud to announce that it has secured nearly $1,000,000 to help homeless veterans. On June 22nd, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced that Ohio Valley Goodwill was one of 97 Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program grant recipients nation-wide. The grants will collectively help more than 14,000 veterans across the country to succeed in civilian careers by providing case management, housing, skill training, job placement support, and appropriate follow-along services. Since 1993, Ohio Valley Goodwill has helped more than 10,000 veterans to attain self-sufficiency in the Greater Cincinnati community. Ohio Valley Goodwill received 3 different grants which will allow it to serve hundreds of homeless veterans in both Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The Homeless Veterans Reintegration Project for Hamilton County is a three year, $300,000 per year grant which requires that 80% of the individuals served secure employment. In the 17 years that the organization has received this award, it has met or exceeded this goal each year. The Northern Kentucky grant also includes $300,000 per year to serve homeless veterans in Northern Kentucky as well as Southeastern Indiana. In addition, the agency also received a renewal of its HUD Housing grant which can be used for rental assistance for people with disabilities who are experiencing homelessness. The grant process is competitive and Ohio Valley Goodwill is delighted that its outcomes for veterans and other homeless individuals has made the organization an attractive grant recipient. ” I think it’s important to note that Ohio Valley Goodwill is bringing federal dollars into our local community to address homelessness,” said Charlie Blythe, Grants Director. ” The end result is that individuals become tax-payers who benefit our community and fully cover the cost of our initial assistance,” added Blythe. Ohio Valley Goodwill was also honored to have one of its veterans staff invited onto a highly select panel in Washington DC during the week of June 21st to discuss federal policies on ending homelessness among veterans. Community Liaison John Briggs represented Ohio Valley Goodwill during the prestigious panel discussion which involved top officials from federal agencies including the Veterans Administration, the Department of Labor, Housing and Urban Development as well as the National Coalition of the Homeless. From across the country, only seven participants were invited to offer their expertise to federal officials as part of this continuing panel. The formal recommendations of the panel can ultimately affect federal policies regarding services for homeless veterans. The 2010 panel discussion focused on permanent housing for veterans as well as a continuum of care for all military personnel. Ohio Valley Goodwill is very proud of its record of success in helping our nation’s veterans to overcome homelessness and is honored that the United States Department of Labor has recognized that effort through its 2010 grant award process. The organization is also pleased to have been asked to share its expertise on veteran affairs as part of an on-going federal inter-agency panel and looks forward to helping our nation’s heroes in the future.”
