Homeless Veterans

Most of us see homeless people as we go about our day and some of them you see have written "Vietnam Vet" or a veteran from some other war. I see one just about everyday. I am a compassionate person and although some homeless people may have caused this situation for themselves, I think they still deserve more help; the veterans especially.

Veterans fought for our country and should be at the top of the priority list of getting the homeless off the streets; along with those already set as a priority, such as homeless families and homeless mothers with dependent children.

Currently, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) states that the VA estimates the number of homeless veterans is at 107,000. They also say that over twice that many experience homelessness. This may be the count now, but in an article from The NewStandard written in 2005, the VA estimated there were 300,000 homeless vets and over half a million experience homelessness. This is very upsetting to me. Seeing people without homes upsets me in general but homeless veterans is worse because these people risked their lives for our country and deserve better. "It’s outrageous that anyone who has put their life on the line for their country should have to live on the street," Stoops commented. Michael Stoops is Director of Community Organizing for the National Coalition for the Homeless, a separate organization based in Washington, DC.

Now the question is, "what is the government doing about this issue?" Not enough. According to Linda Boone, executive director of the NCHV, "the Veterans Administration doesn’t have enough resources to take care of our veterans, and Congress doesn’t want to pay for them." Congress doesn't want to pay for them? A discouraging statement, yet probably true. Congress is more concerned with tax cuts for the rich than the homelessness of our veterans. A great comment by Maria Fostarinis, executive director of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty in Washington, DC, "Budgets are not acts of God. They are political choices. The VA needs to be out there making the case for veterans."

So, Congress needs to make more money available for the VA, veterans benefits, and other organizations trying to help homeless veterans and those at risk.