FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2011

St. Patrick Center receives $1 million grant to assist homeless veterans

St. Patrick Center announced today that it received a $956,271 grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to help fund three of the agency’s programs assisting veterans struggling with homelessness, poverty, addiction and/or mental illness: Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP), Project HERO and Veterans GO! Green. The grant is part of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, a new prevention initiative to prevent and end homelessness among veterans.

“Congratulations to St. Patrick Center for being one of the first non-profit organizations in the nation to be selected for this new homeless prevention program,” said United States Representative Lacy Clay. According to Clay, St. Patrick Center won the grant over 400 applicants from around the nation. “I want to personally thank President Obama and VA Secretary Eric Shinseki for their strong support of our community’s efforts to lift up all those who have served our nation and prevent homelessness among veterans before it happens,” Clay added. 

“This grant comes at a critical time, when the number of veterans living on the streets is skyrocketing,” said St. Patrick Center CEO Tom Etling. According to a recent report from VA, more than 10,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are homeless or in programs aimed at keeping them off the streets – a number that has doubled three times since 2006. “This grant is an important step in assisting homeless veterans and we are incredibly grateful to Congressman Clay for his support of our agency,” Etling added.
Since the agency’s inception, St. Patrick Center has made veterans’ needs a priority, implementing effective programs and strategies to end homelessness for vets living on the streets of St. Louis:

Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP): Veterans receive support services such as referral for substance-abuse and mental health issues; and job-readiness classes, which provide four days of interviewing skills training, resume writing and instruction in appropriate on-the-job conduct. In Fiscal Year 2010, St. Patrick Center placed 132 veterans into full-time jobs; 103 into housing; and 37 received advanced employment training.

Project HERO: Through a working relationship with the VA and the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Project HERO (Housing, Employment & Recovery Opportunities) moves homeless veterans toward permanent housing, self sufficiency and community integration. In FY2010, St. Patrick Center placed 30 honorably discharged veterans in housing and helped stabilize an additional 19 vets for more than one year, ending more than 131 years of homelessness.

Veterans GO! Green: Provides job training to assist in reintegrating veterans into meaningful employment within the green industry. The program has maintained a 70 percent job placement rate since its launch in Summer 2010.

“Sustainable funding for St. Patrick Center’s veterans programs is part of an even greater need to operate and maintain all of our housing, employment and mental health programs,” Eting added. “Now, more than ever, we need new funding sources to assist those in our community who are suffering the most.”

Under the SSVF program, the VA awards grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that can provide a range of supportive services to very low-income veteran families. Nearly $60 million in grants were awarded to 85 non-profit community agencies in 40 states and will reach approximately 22,000 veteran families.

For more information about St. Patrick Center’s 28 housing, employment and mental health programs, visit www.stpatrickcenter.org.

MISSION:   
St. Patrick Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Individuals achieve permanent, positive changes in their lives through affordable housing, sound mental health, employment and financial stability. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Kelly Peach
Senior Director of Communications
St. Patrick Center
Direct line: 314-802-0687
Cell: 314-581-7126
kpeach@stpatrickcenter.org

Stephanie Perry
Writer/Producer
St. Patrick Center
Direct Line: 314-802-1968
Cell: 314-853-8886
sperry@stpatrickcenter.org