Georgia Vietnam Veterans Alliance

Homeless / Transition Program:

There is a very fine line for us between Homeless and Emergency Aid. Several years ago, we began working with the Veterans Opportunity and Outreach Center in Atlanta. Our goal was to provide a place for veterans who have no place to go and in particular the single vets.

It is a clean facility that provides a place to sleep, and a place for mail and a phone. It is our hope that as we place vets in VORCI (Veterans Opportunity and Resource Center, Inc.). They will spend three months or slightly more and through the join effort will find employment and a more permanent place to live. While at the center, the vet is expected to help out with cooking, cleaning, and helping to keep the facility in good repair. The rules are structured so the vet must stay away from drugs and alcohol, and meet an evening curfew.

It should also be mentioned that we have made counseling. AA, and other services available to the vets. Because it is fairly close to the VA Hospital. It has also been a good place where some of the vets could convalesce until they are ready to re-enter the work force.

We encounter more difficulties in placing families or single women in acceptable housing. However, when we encounter this situation, we have been able to respond and find places for them also. We did have a family of a father and 5 sons at the Crisis Resource Center for several months until they could get their lives back together.

Veterans that come to us are generally referred by the VA Hospital or the Veterans Outreach Center. We ask that they furnish proof of their service, but they do not have to be members of the GVVA, and seldom are. In addition to emergency help, we seek to find out the root of their problem and provide them assistance so they can enter the main stream of life whenever possible.