Community Hope & The Hope for Veterans Program

Description

Veterans have long constituted a disproportionate share of the country's homeless population. In an attempt to address the issue of homeless veterans, Community Hope secured capital funding and renovated a vacant building located on the Lyons VA Campus, to establish a transitional housing program which seeks to break the cycle of homelessness. Our newest initiative, "Hope for Veterans" opened on September 20, 2004 and is the most comprehensive program in NJ, helping veterans establish sustained independence through supported housing, recovery services, financial self-sufficiency through employment, and permanent housing placement.

In September 2005 Community Hope secured a capital grant to expand the Program based on the overwhelming need for the Program as evidenced by the growing list of homeless veterans awaiting a bed at the facility, in December 2007 we completed renovations to an expansion of the Program creating an additional twenty-five beds. In support of the Hope for Veterans Program and the new wing, over $25,000 was raised from our 2008 Flag Day 5K Run to benefit our homeless veterans.

The Hope for Veterans Program is the 2005 recipient of the prestigious national Community Partnership Award from the Mutual of America Foundation and the (NJ)Governor's Excellence in Housing Award.