The state of Arizona is stepping up to help homeless veterans.
The Pledge
Gov. Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services (ADVS) announced that the state is providing $750,000 in grant funding for the Homes for Heroes program designed to create transitional housing, decrease obstacles to healthcare, and provide increase access so veterans can receive care the same day they need it.
The grants were awarded to four organizations that assist homeless veterans with housing and other support programs. Overall, Hobbs is pledging $2 million, obtained in the Arizona Promise Budget, to Homes for Heroes to focus on housing veterans struggling with homelessness.
“By creating pathways to housing for our Veterans, we are helping them realize the opportunity, security, and freedom that underpin the Arizona Promise,” Hobbs said in a press release.
“The men and women who served our nation and defended our freedoms deserve to live their lives with dignity and have a place to call home. Working hand in hand with community organizations, we are committed to realizing our goal of ending veteran homelessness in Arizona.”
All veterans sacrifice a great deal to serve in the military and ADVS Director John Scott said they deserve to have a roof over their heads and a warm bed at night.
“We owe it to them to ensure they have a safe place to sleep, and the support they need to rebuild their lives. With these new investments, we are taking meaningful steps toward that goal,” Scott said. “I was pleased to see the volume of applications we received. I was especially encouraged that so many proposals included new housing inventory, aimed not only at getting Veterans off the streets, but at getting them the care and services they need without delay. After reviewing the scores and recommendations, I’m proud to announce funding for several promising projects that will expand statewide services and provide critical, same-day support to Arizona’s Veterans.”
Providing Vital Services
Of the $750,000 provided in the grants, three organizations will receive $200,000 each, including Axiom Community of Recovery, which plans to build 30 transitional housing beds, and also provide same-day placement and an opportunity for veterans to receive detox care, if necessary. Axiom Community of Recovery’s main goal is to provide “immediate stabilization and care for veterans in crisis.”
In northern Arizona, U.S. Vets in Prescott plan to use $200,000 to house 100 veterans, taking advantage of new space available for transitional housing at Fort Whipple. The expansion, which substantially increases housing services in northern Arizona, according to the release, is slated to open in January.
In Tucson, Esperanza en Escalante, another $200,000 recipient, will serve 32 veterans, providing detox services the same day a veteran arrives, critical care housing, boarding for pets, and special housing personalized to each veteran. To ensure personalized care, the organization will evaluate each veteran the day they come in.
One organization, the Scottsdale Recovery Center, was awarded a $150,000 grant. The program is designed to serve almost 40 veterans with same-day detox, pet housing and care, and beds for homeless veterans. According to the press release, the recovery center will focus on connecting with incarcerated veterans, emphasizing accessibility to various rehab services.
Reaching Veterans Across the State
Gov. Hobb’s office said the goal was to disperse grant funding to regions across Arizona to reach as many homeless veterans as possible.
Along with the grant funding, Hobb’s Homes for Heroes program offers another $750,000 to assist treatment courts for veterans battling substance use issues, mental health problems, and additional challenges originating from their time in the service that often leads to homelessness.
An additional $500,000 will be saved to organize and execute Arizona’s continued efforts to curtail homelessness among veterans.
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