Veterans: Good reason to hope for Ventura County's veterans, homeless
Many are hopeful that 2022 will put the gray days of the previous two years in the rear view mirror.
New antiviral COVID-19 pills show near 90% efficacy in preventing hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk patients. International supply chain snarls seem to be easing. Job numbers continue to improve, with employers offering better pay and working conditions. Along with this, many economists expect the gradual easing of our soaring inflation.
We’ll begin to see long-needed infrastructure improvements, and there are better-than-even odds that there will be legislative compromises resulting in the passage of additional infrastructure and social investments, as well as meaningful reforms of our weakening democratic institutions.
There are also good reasons for hope regarding improvement in the lives of Ventura County’s homeless and vulnerable veterans and their families.
Two initiatives will address the county’s disadvantaged veterans and their families, but neither is projected to be available until 2023 and beyond.
As reported in the Ventura County Star last December, a 122-unit East Ventura affordable housing project for veterans and their families has been approved and is expected to be completed in December 2023.
More: ‘Nothing less than angels': Local nonprofit helps elderly widow escape homelessness
Additionally, Gold Coast Veterans Foundation’s Veterans Village will offer homeless and vulnerable veterans transitional shelter, counseling and therapy to reintegrate these veterans into a life of independence and permanent housing.
Until this important vision of a consolidated venue becomes a reality, Gold Coast Veterans Foundation continues its Mobile Veterans Outreach program, working closely with the county’s partner agencies, to provide comprehensive support for homeless veterans.
Bob Harris, foundation executive director, estimates that there are approximately 150 homeless veterans in the county with over 1,000 on the financial brink of becoming homeless at any time. This population often feels helpless attempting to work through the bureaucratic hurdles to access earned Veterans Affairs benefits and support from county social service agencies.
These challenges are too often exacerbated by lack of reliable transportation and debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder. This is why the foundation's outreach mission is irreplaceable and will remain a source of hope for the county’s vulnerable veterans – until more extensive and permanent options become available.
In addition to assisting with the large and diverse caseload of homeless and vulnerable veterans, the foundation also responds to veteran family members in need. One example is the story of a 94-year-old widow of two veterans, who was referred by a deputy sheriff when she showed up at his front desk.
She was legally blind, her daughter and caretaker had just passed away, and she would soon be on the streets with her three dogs. She received a modest monthly “surviving spouse” benefit and social security.
This provided her with just enough to make her ineligible for assistance from social service agencies, but $20,000 short of being able to afford a modest, one-bedroom apartment. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Ventura, a Catholic nonprofit, along with individual police officer donations, provided the widow with a few nights in a hotel.
The foundation began working on the long-term solution – consolidating her five storage units, selling her daughter's car and disposing of other assets that would be of no use to the widow. With the assistance of United Way, in late 2021 Gold Coast moved the widow into a senior living apartment, with meals provided.
More: Veterans: Holiday season a time to share good fortune and lasagna
One of our community’s most distinguished members is a Navy veteran who also just happens to be baseball’s most beloved voice, Dodgers legend Vin Scully. Vin has recorded a truly heartwarming poem for the holidays.
In rhyme and verse, Vin tells the story of Ventura County’s favorite “little old lady” Rose, the double-veteran widow that our community prevented from becoming homeless. This delightful and inspirational story can be heard here: www.gcvf.org/rose.
Big picture improvements in how we care for our veterans are on the horizon and will certainly be welcome. But it’s even more important to know that miracles are happening for veterans and their families right now.
Alexander Deraney retired from the Army at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He writes for the Gold Coast Veterans Foundation.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Good reason to hope for county's veterans, homeless
