New Era Veterans, INC. (NEV), a 501c3 New York State registered charity has succesfully operated both of New York City's two veteran specific housing programs. In 1991, together with another agency, El Barrio American Legion Post 1944 won the contract to manage the first veteran-specific residence at 22 East 119th Street in East Harlem. In 1994, New Era Veterans (NEV), an outgrowth of El Barrio Post, was awarded the second veteran-specific supportive residencial housing program in the Soundview section of the Bronx. In addition to providing a full range of social services, NEV has maintained our building to the highest standards and, acting as managing agents, continues to provide exceptional services at our 150 room residence. Our contracts with New york City's Department of Homeless Services and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene have been renewed continuously and we have been rewarded with a second competitive bid to continue our management. In 2000 we were succesful in securing funding for an additional 20 supportive apartments for veterans through New York State Office of Mental Health and have placed 20 veterans in safe; secure, affortable apartments throughout the city. We recieve additional funding for supportive services through the US Department of Veterans Affairs. With a budget of over a million dollars per year, we have managed to provide the finest staff and services possible for our veteran clients.
When we began this mission in 1991, at our first veteran's residence, we imagined that most of our veteran tenants would move on to private apartment living within a two year period. However in the past 14 years we have found that, to the contrary, the overwhelming majority of our veteran remain in our program. Even after we have assisted the in returning to the workforce or helped them receive the veteran's disability they deserve, they cannot move on because of the severe shortage of decent, affortable housing in the city. The supplement we provide for our tenants is only a small step toward moving these formerly homeless veterans on to more spacious accomodations. We are specially concerned about the New York / New York designated veterans who are capable of maintaining themselves in larger apartments but cannot do so with the minimal supports offer in our supported apartment program. Through the years, there have been over twenty veterans housed at our program who required the additional support our facility offered. Some have moced into non-veteran specific housing while others stay at this residence rather than move away from other veterans. Even if our veterans become physically ill, they are few options in nursing homes or a hospice. Our veterans cannot afford the new assisted-living centers on their disability or pension payments. Additionally, there is no veteran-specific housing for single parent families in the entire metropolitan area.
In addition, NEV Program operates the only Mobile Medical Clinic, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs throughout the five boroughs, offering free medical evaluations, benefit applications and social service "on the streets" to veterans and their significant others. Named Eagle 1, this 40 foot mobile clinic / service center began serving veterans and their families in August 1996, offering entitlement information, physical exams, social services and direct referrals in our local community.
The founders of NEV Program, while committed to serving veterans in general, have a special commitment to mentally challenged veterans. Both Dr. Shaffer and Mr. Laguna worked in the early years of the Vietnam Veterans Outreach Centers, serving thousands of veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). While there, we learned of the military's practice, specially during the Vietnam Era, of accepting marginally functional minority members into service. These men often received early discharges, received little relevant training while in the military and in some cases, experienced their first psychiatric episode during their service to our country. Many of these man, unable to adjust and prosper, now are classified as New York / New York. At our residence, NEV has a contract to house and serve 45 New York / New York veterans but we routinely serve many more. We do this because we prefer to work with these men and women. Our 20 unit supported housing program has drawn many more applicants that we have space to serve. We are currently housing our supportive housing apartment participants in beautiful, spacious apartments, usually two or three to a building. The proximity of these clients allows them to establish a peer support system that is helpful in adjusting to independent living. Because of our commitment to our veterans and our positive experiences working with these men and women through the years, we propose to build new housing for our New York / New York veterans. |
