MEDIA CONTACT:

STEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Tuesday, 7.26.11

Clay Announces $956,271 Grant to St. Patrick Center to Help Homeless Veterans

VA Launches New Prevention Initiative to Serve 22,000 Veteran Families at Risk of Homelessness

WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri was pleased to join with the Veterans Administration today to announce a $956,271 grant to the St. Patrick Center in St. Louis as part of the new Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. “Congratulations to the 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 the Congressman. “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.”

"This new homeless prevention program will provide additional comprehensive support to Veterans who have served honorably, and now find themselves in a downward spiral toward despair and homelessness, “said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.  "This program expands our capacity to act before a Veteran becomes homeless and to target the problem of family homelessness.

Through the SSVF Program, the VA aims to improve very low-income Veteran families' housing stability.  The St. Patrick Center will provide supportive services to at-risk Veteran families, many of whom live in or are transitioning to permanent housing.    They hope to help at least 250 at-risk Veterans and their families by providing supportive outreach; case management; assistance in obtaining VA benefits; and help in obtaining and coordinating other public benefits. The St. Patrick Center will also have the ability to make temporary financial assistance payments on behalf of Veterans for purposes such as rent payments, utility payments, security deposits and moving costs.

The $956,271 grant to the St. Patrick Center was awarded through a competitive competition among 400 applicants from across the a nation.

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