Originally published: 2024-01-20T21:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.
Bay Pines VA welcomed Veterans to the C.W. Bill Young VA for a surge event aimed at rapidly moving unhoused Veterans into sheltered or transitional housing and on a path to permanent housing.
Since January 2022, Bay Pines VA has helped 1,377 Veterans move into permanent residences. Last year, the team helped VA exceed its goal with 630 Veterans permanently housed. This year the team added another 747 Veterans to the list, an increase of 18.5 percent.
“Our commitment to helping Veterans receive permanent housing is essential to their overall health care,” said Bay Pines VA Chief of Homeless Programs, Yvonne Morales. “We’re proud that Veterans are stepping forward to allow us to help and we will continue this effort to ensure that every Veteran has a safe and stable place to call home.”
Pictured above, social worker Melissa Cormemy speaks to a Veteran during the Homeless Veteran Surge Event.
Champions work tirelessly to put Veterans in permanent housing
“Our team has 97 staff across our area who are unwavering champions of Veterans and work tirelessly to put them on a path to permanent housing. These social workers, peer support personnel and housing specialists are game changers for Veterans and I’m so proud to work alongside such a dedicated group of professionals,” Morales said.
While Morales and her team have made a huge impact across southwest Florida, she says everyone on her team understands there’s a bigger goal.
“We estimate there are approximately 1,000 Veterans who are without homes in our area. We refuse to stop until everyone of them receives permanent housing,” she added.
The team’s mission continues in 2024 with support to Pinellas County on Jan. 25. In the spring, the homeless Veteran team hosts the Annual Bay Pines VA Stand Down in the Veterans Courtyard, at C.W. Bill Young VA.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.
