Helping Homeless Veterans Take a Leading Role in Their Lives
As part of our NJHI grant, we’ve provided stipends to programs that not only support community leaders, but promote individuals’ leadership and ownership of their health. One of the programs receiving funding for this purpose is Dudley House Veterans Transitional Housing Program in Plainfield, New Jersey.
Dudley House is dedicated to helping low-income and homeless male veterans in Union County work through the unique challenges they face. Veterans in Dudley House receive housing, around-the-clock staff assistance to access resources, access to emergency food and meals, and essential supplies they may not be able to afford such as personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning supplies, tissues, toilet paper, paper towels and more. While the exact number of veterans served in Dudley house changes on a monthly basis, Dudley House can serve up to 18 residents at any given time.
Veterans in Dudley House also receive a variety of wraparound social services and educational opportunities to help them take a leading role in their lives, including job readiness, financial needs, life skills training and substance abuse counseling. Transportation to the service locations is also provided so that veterans’ access to transportation doesn’t prevent them from receiving the services they needs.
From start to finish, Dudley House Veterans Transitional Housing Program works to ensure that veterans living in Union County receive the quality of life they not only need, but deserve after having served our country. We take pride in knowing that the community stipend from this grant has supported this program and helped veterans entering or leaving Dudley House gain the skills and knowledge they need to thrive.