Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11% of the general adult population, according to a recent report.  About one-third of the ADULT homeless population  are veterans.  Current population estimates suggest that approximately 196,000 veterans (male and female) are homeless on any given night and perhaps twice as many experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year.  Many other veterans are considered near homeless or at risk because of their poverty, lack of support from family and friends, and dismal living conditions in cheap hotels or in overcrowded or substandard housing.

On any given day on a street corner near you is a homeless veteran asking for help.  Who are these homeless veterans and where do they come from.  Men account for 97% of the homeless veteran population, with women comprising only 3%.   Vietnam Era veterans make up almost half of all homeless veterans, forty-seven percent in fact.  Right now, the number of homeless male and female Vietnam era veterans is greater than the number of service persons who died during that war.  But, homelessness is not just a problem among middle age and senior veterans. Younger veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are trickling into shelters and soup kitchens seeking services, treatment or help with finding a job.  Homeless veterans tend to be older and more educated than homeless non-veterans.  A number of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness and alcohol or other drug abuse problems.  But these are only numbers and statistics and don’t tell the real story.  These homeless are veterans who served our country to preserve our freedom and way of life.  There are benefits, support and help available for these veterans, but most don’t even know that they exist, let alone know how to qualify.  Part of what we do, is work to get the word out to homeless vets about available benefits and programs and we help them apply.  A homeless veteran can receive up to $11,830 in pension benefits, if they meet the active duty requirements.