Delaware Stands Down for Veterans

The state's first "I support veterans" license plate.

Veterans line up for food and for clothes at the Stand Down.

The Executive Director of the Delaware Veterans' Stand Down Elizabeth A. Byers-Jiron (center) is presented with the state's first license plate that reads, "I support veterans" with the abbreviation HV.

Delaware's Sixth Veterans Stand Down in October brought out 597 veterans to the American Legion's Walter Fox Post 2 in Dover. It was a beautiful fall day and service providers, including HUD, filled the building and spilled out onto the lawn around the Post. Veterans were treated to breakfast and a hot lunch with red, white and blue centerpieces. They were able to get haircuts, massages, clothes, food and medical care right on the spot. Of the 597 veterans who streamed through to talk with providers, 86 men and six women were homeless. Those men and women are being contacted to ensure their safety during the winter months. Other organizations will work on providing a stable environment and a permanent place for them to live. Eighteen veterans from outside the Delaware attended the event. The highest number of veterans came from Kent County followed by New Castle and Sussex Counties, respectively. During the opening ceremony, the Executive Director of the Delaware Veterans' Stand Down Elizabeth A. Byers-Jiron was presented with the state's first license plate that reads, "I support veterans" with the abbreviation HV.

"What an honor, and I will drive this proudly throughout the states that I go through," said Byers-Jiron. "This is something that only one can dream about."

Delaware drivers can purchase these license plates. Half of the one-time fee goes to the Delaware Veterans Trust Fund. The fund, established last September and funded with a one-time $25,000 contribution by the state and future contributions from personal income tax filing contributions, provides financial assistance or grants to honorably discharged veterans by covering costs associated with medical/dental needs and transportation, home repairs and safety modifications, household utilities and educational programs, as well as homelessness support. It is administered by the Commission of Veterans Affairs.

The Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are working to drive down the numbers of veterans who remain homeless. In August, the agencies released the latest figures on veteran homelessness at a single point in time. The data collected show that as of January 2014, there were 49,933 veterans experiencing homelessness on any given night. That's a 33 percent decrease in veteran homelessness since 2010, including a nearly 40 percent drop in the number of unsheltered homeless veterans.

"We have an obligation to ensure that every veteran has a place to call home," said U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro. "In just a few years, we have made incredible progress reducing homelessness among veterans, but we have more work to do. HUD will continue collaborating with our federal and local partners to ensure that all of the men and women who have served our country have a stable home and an opportunity to succeed."

To accelerate progress on meeting the national goal of ending veteran homelessness by 2015, First Lady Michelle Obama launched the Administration's "Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness" in spring 2014. So far, more than 210 mayors, county, and state officials have committed to ending homelessness among veterans in their communities. In Delaware, the Mayors of Wilmington, Newark and Dover and the New Castle County Executive have signed on to the Challenge.

###