 According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, it is estimated that nearly 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. More than half a million experience homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men has put on a uniform and served our country. Now they are sleeping in the woods, in an alley, or on a box in our cities and rural communities.
Government money for homeless veterans is limited and currently serves only a fraction of those in need. The most effective programs for homeless veterans are community-based, nonprofit, "veterans helping veterans" groups.
The Source is one such program. We are honored to have the opportunity to be of service to those who once paid a high price to serve us. Almost one in five of our clients are United States veterans. our veteran volunteer, Larry Smith, workS directly with our homeless veterans to help connect them with VA resources and other programs.
Our kitchen manager, Harry Halbert, is also a veteran. Vero Beach Magazine quoted him as saying, "To be honest, I never had any interest in becoming involved with the homeless, but then again I didn't know anything about them. [My wife] Nancy had become involved there cooking meals and so I went along. The thing that really pulled at my heart strings is that there are so many vets among the homeless and that really bothers me. These people fought for our country. I'm a veteran and it gives me goose bumps just talking about it."
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