HUD's Call to Action heard in continued efforts to defeat Veteran Homelessness

Ed Jennings, Jr. HUD SE Regional Administrator; Michelle Roberts, Special Projects Coordinator for eMerging Entrepreneurs, Inc.; April Ellerbe, CEO of New Century Planning; Rev. Theodore Breeden, Pastor of Johnston Piney Grove Baptist Church (Clayton, NC); T.J. Breeden, Founder & Executive Director of eMerging Entrepreneurs, Inc.

Growing awareness and desire to make a difference in the lives of homeless Veterans brought leaders recently from across the country including HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. to the eMerging Entrepreneurs organization's themed Homes for the Brave - Champions Leadership Conference in Durham, North Carolina.

The conference brought together military leadership, health care specialist, researchers, social advocates, and resources within the public and private sectors to explore the social, wellness, and economic causes of homelessness within Veteran community.

Joining Jennings as speakers were Acting US Surgeon General RADM Boris D. Lushiniak, Congressman David Price (D-NC 4th District (http://price.house.gov/)) and Mr. Craig E. Stephens: Lieutenant Colonel USMC (Retired).

"Since 2010 thousands of cities and counties across the country reported in January a decline of 33 percent in Veteran homelessness. This includes a nearly 40 percent drop in the number of unsheltered veterans sleeping on the street," Jennings remarked. "This is extraordinary progress, however, one homeless Veteran is one too many and so we need continue to vigorously fight on to victory for our Veterans."

The "Champions" Leadership Conference acknowledged the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for its services and ongoing work with veterans as it relates to First Lady Michelle Obama's "Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness." Currently, the HUD Southeast Region has over 70 mayors signed on to support this effort.

This is the organization's 3rd conference with the last held on January 31st in Washington, DC in coordination with the White House Office of Public Engagement, VA, and US Dept. of State), and their hope is to narrow the discussions had there, specifically to identify collaborative solutions to help displaced heroes secure sustainable health, economic, and housing assistance.

The Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness is a way to solidify partnerships and secure commitments to end Veteran homelessness from mayors across the country. Specifically, the call to action - announced by First Lady Michelle Obama and amplified by the HUD Secretary, by leaders across HUD, VA, USICH, and by the National League of Cities - is for mayors to make a commitment to ending Veteran homelessness in their cities in 2015.

Developed by eMerging Entrepreneurs, Inc. (www.emerginginc.org/), the "Champions Conference" is a series of private 1-day symposiums which aims to bring together the nation's top service leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates, researchers, wellness specialists, and resources within the public & private sectors to develop and strategically enact initiatives designed to combat the socio-economic & health disparities that exists within our communities.

###