HUD Field Offices in Kentucky and Indiana work together to more effectively help Veterans find housing and supportive services

Tim Nicolazzi of the HUD Kentucky Office provides assistance to a Veteran during the Veteran Stand Down Event in New Albany, Indiana.

Recently, more than 100 veterans from all over Southern Indiana and the Louisville, Kentucky area came to the Veterans Stand Down in New Albany, Indiana that was hosted by the Veterans Treatment Court. Veterans were able to learn about services provided by organizations in their community, such as housing, employment, and social service programs provided by the numerous organizations located in the community that are dedicated to helping those who have served in the military.

The veterans received a free lunch from Mission BBQ, and many stayed to support five resilient veterans who graduated from the Veterans Treatment Court's Substance Abuse Program. Numerous public officials were there as well to support those graduating and lend their support to the veterans in need.

“It is amazing to see what these strong vets can do once they have a proper support system in place,” said Timothy Nicolazzi, a military veteran from the HUD Kentucky Office who represented the Department at the event. “I am proud of them and their accomplishments.”

“It is an honor when we can cross state lines and work together to provide resources that our veterans in both Indiana and Kentucky need. To collaborate in this way with Peter Jackson and his HUD Louisville Team so that they could attend and provide resources at the Veteran's Stand-down in New Albany, Indiana, is exactly how we should be removing barriers and showing Americans how government can and should work for them,” said Kimberly Wize, HUD Indiana Field Office Director.

“I am enormously grateful for the partnership with the HUD Indianapolis Field Office Director to assist in the delivery of our programs where people need them the most,” said Peter Jackson, HUD Kentucky Field Office Director.

HUD staff provided resources about the HUD-VASH program. The HUD-VASH program was created in 2008 as a collaboration effort between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Its focus is to help targeted homeless veterans obtain housing, counseling, and health services. In 2019, Congress dedicated $40 million to HUD-VASH and created over 5,000 new vouchers. To learn more about the program, please click here (www.va.gov/homeless/hud-vash.asp).

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