Housing First for Mississippi Vets

HUD Mississippi team at the HUD-VASH Process Awareness event

In September, Mississippi Field Office Director Jerrie G. Magruder for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development welcomed attendees to the HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)/Homeless Summit, a HUD-VASH Process Awareness event in Jackson, Mississippi at the Dr. A.H. McCoy federal building.

More than 100 participants learned about the housing voucher program for vets (HUD-VASH) and services that are provided by VA, HUD's homeless continuum of care grantees, nonprofit agencies and suppliers that serve veterans. Various federal, state, local, and non-profit agencies that recently received funding to serve veterans in the state of Mississippi also participated in the event. Among the attendees were Catholic Charities, Voice of Calvary Ministries, Mississippi United to End Homelessness and Oak Harbor. Networking was encouraged; attendees brainstormed for ideas to help reduce the obstacles that hinder HUD-VASH recipients to find housing promptly, and suggested ideas to increase the awareness of the services offered to military veterans and their families.

HUD speakers addressed how its continuum of care grantees in the state could further assist homeless veterans with funds allocated to them. A list of the grantees can be found on HUD's website. The VA speakers addressed an array of topics that impacted the quality of life of the returning veterans. Suicide prevention, post deployment, programs for grants and homeless supportive employment were discussed, along with the roles of the Veterans Justice Office, and the VA Women's Health Clinic. CredAbility, a non-profit credit counseling and education agency also shared information about a special program to assist Veterans with credit issues, ReConnect, www.CredAbility.org/ReCon or call (888) 808-7285 (service is available 24/7).

The guest speaker for the event was Seaman Irvin Clayton, U.S. Navy 1977-1981. He told the audience about the particular issues and barriers that he encountered after his military service. Seaman Clayton reiterated the positive impact that the HUD-VASH and the services provided by the VA had on his life. Clayton shared with the audience the different challenges that he faced while being homeless and trying to survive in a world that not everyone could understand. After his inspiring speech, HUD VASH program representatives, Anthony McIntyre (HUD), Derrick Moore (VA), and Tonja Tarvin (VA) presented Seaman Clayton with a Certificate of Appreciation for his Meritorious Services to the Country.

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