BATTLE CREEK, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — As part of VA’s nationwide goal to house 38,000 homeless Veterans in 2022, the Battle Creek VA Medical Center has provided 308 permanent housing placements to homeless Veterans.
According to Medical Center officials, permanent housing placements provided by VA staff and community partners included apartments or houses that Veterans could rent or own, often with a subsidy to help make the housing affordable. Officials went onto say that VA staff also helped some Veterans end their
homelessness by reuniting with family and friends.
These placements, along with placements provided by other VA health care systems across America, led to VA housing 40,401 Veterans nationwide, meeting and exceeding its national goal by more than 6.3%.
“This goal was achieved through the hard work and dedication of our VA Battle Creek homeless programs staff, our grantees and contractors and our valued community partners,” said VA Battle Creek Medical Center Director, Michelle Martin. “The progress we’re seeing with Veteran homelessness in West and Southwest Michigan shows that we have the right solutions to end homelessness for all Veterans we care for.”
Recent statistics indicated that nationally, the total number of Veterans who experienced homelessness on a single
night in January 2022, was 33,129 — a decrease of 11% from January 2020.
In total, the estimated number of Veterans experiencing homelessness in America has declined by 55.3% since 2010.
If you are a Veteran who is experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838). Visit the VA Homeless Programs website to learn about housing initiatives and other programs for Veterans exiting homelessness.
