Serving those Who Served

Congressman Phil Roe and HUD SE Region Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr (right to left)

Service providers listening intently to the program announcements

HUD Knoxville Field Director Ed Ellis and Steve Baldwin, Johnson City's Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church Missions Coordinator

Almost 80 Veterans participated in the annual Veterans assistance event in the Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church, Johnson City, Tennessee recently where representatives from the Small Business Administration, HUD, Tennessee Small Business Development Center at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Johnson City Housing Authority joined Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN), HUD Southeast Region Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr, Johnson City Mayor Clayton Stout, and keynote speaker Bob Seitz, with Mississippi State University's Business Outreach Center (VBOC).

The event focused on educating and assisting Veterans regarding available support services offered in northeast Tennessee which includes employment services, homeless Veteran housing availability and small business resources. In addition to Seitz's remarks and those offered by the Congressman Roe, HUD Southeast Region Administrator Jennings and HUD Knoxville Office Director Ed Ellis and various local service providers offered information to Veterans at booths in the church's gym.

"Ensuring our service members have a better quality of life for the sacrifices they made is always at the forefront of my mind," Roe said. "That is why I am pleased to host such an important event that will create new opportunities for our veterans. As a veteran, I support action to better the health and well-being of our service members and their families through my work in Congress, and as a member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs."

"Our Veterans deserve our best as they gave their best for us and we will continue to fight on their behalf so that they will eventually have a place that they may finally call home," said HUD SE Region Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. "We are making significant progress in that direction as HUD and our partners are reducing homelessness among Veterans as HUD VASH serves as a door opening opportunity for them to live a better life."

The HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program combines Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance for homeless Veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA provides these services for participating Veterans at VA medical centers (VAMCs) and community-based outreach clinics.

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