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Homeless veterans and their families finding help in Berks

Reading Eagle - 7/5/2022

Jul. 5—Nathan Walker remembers clearly the worry he and his wife, Ruth, faced a few years back when the eviction notice arrived from their landlord, a letter letting them know they soon would be out on the streets.

Walker, an Army veteran from Reading, had been injured while working as a school janitor, and when his workers' compensation payments didn't match his regular pay, he fell behind on the rent.

So after the landlord let the couple know they had just a few weeks to get out, they needed help.

That assistance came from Opportunity House and its Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, which thousands of other veterans and family members in Berks, Schuylkill and Lancaster counties have received help from in recent years.

In the grant year that ended June 30, 300 families from those three counties stayed housed through the program, which is federally funded.

And last year, after having survived that rough period, the Walkers were able to buy the home that Opportunity House initially helped them to rent in 2015.

"They helped us get out of a bad situation," said Nathan, now 68. "They had a lot to do with me being able to start again. I am very appreciative."

"Any veteran who is struggling just needs to reach out to us," said Holly Wolf, who directs the program for Opportunity House.

The hardest step for some veterans is asking for that assistance, though, because they may feel others are more deserving, Wolf said.

But they don't turn away any veterans or their families as long as they meet the grant guidelines, which include income limits, she said.

"We are very nonjudgmental here," she said. "We just want to see you succeed."

The program helps two types of veterans and families: those who are on the verge of being homeless and those who already do not have a home to live in.

Those considered homeless may be bouncing from one friend or family member's couch to another, be living in their cars, or actually on the streets or in the woods. They are rapidly rehoused, even if it requires a short stay in the Opportunity House shelter before they can get into a rental unit.

Those considered at high risk of being homeless have already been served with eviction or foreclosure notices, and Opportunity House helps prevent that imminent housing loss or assists in finding them a new, more suitable housing situation for the individual and their family.

Though 300 veterans received assistance in Berks, Schuylkill and Lancaster in the last year, the number of individuals is considerably higher because family members also are helped, Wolf said.

One form of help available is through the Shallow Subsidy Program, which covers 50% of rent for 24 months even if the recipient increases their income above the threshold for admittance.

The idea is they can use that time to pay off debt, buy furniture or appliances, and save for the future.

"It gives them a chance to get squared away," Wolf said.

There are also programs that cover security deposits or the initial rent payments for those unable to do so.

The Walkers had their security deposit and first month's rent covered, and Nathan acknowledges that without that boost the couple would have been homeless.

There are many families in similar situations, Wolf said, where short-term help leads to long-term stability.

A number of those of those veterans are referred by the Berks County Veterans Affairs office, which works with Opportunity House to make sure they are helped in all ways possible.

The local veterans office takes a housing first approach, which means it prioritizes getting stable housing for vets before it addresses their other needs, said Jason Mattise-Nauman,

deputy director.

'Stay on their feet'

Military service can lead to health conditions such as PTSD, and the lack of structure in post-military life can also put veterans at risk of homelessness, he said, urging veterans to call his office or to seek other local help that is available.

Also recently assisted by Opportunity House was Air Force veteran Anthony Jones, 66, who intended to come to Reading temporarily for work but got sick in the local building where he was living, lost his place back in Illinois and ended up having to stay.

Opportunity House found him a new apartment in the city that he loves, and now he considers Reading home.

Jones, a movie producer and consultant, said he is committed to improving the community, and thanks Opportunity House for giving him the help that will allow him to do so.

He encourages others in need to also find and ask for the assistance available, no matter how discouraging their current situation may be.

"Don't give up," he said.

Beyond rental help, Opportunity House also helps connect veterans with job resources, including temp agencies and CareerLink; can provide money for utility bills, transportation and food; helps them navigate the health care system; and can provide legal advice to keep them housed.

There is a misconception Wolf often hears that there isn't help available to veterans in need or that other groups can more easily access assistance.

But Wolf reiterates that veterans do have people and programs determined to help them, pointing to the VA's goal this year of housing 38,000 men and women who've served in the military.

Locally it just takes a phone call to Opportunity House, the county veterans office, the Berks Coalition to End Homelessness or 211 — which provides 24/7 social service referrals — to start the process toward housing stability, she said.

"Our veterans put their lives on the line for our freedoms, and now we're here for them in their time of need," she said. "We can help them stay on their feet, and to have a better future."

To get help

Veterans or their families who are homeless or at risk of losing their housing can get assistance by calling:

—Opportunity House, 610-374-4696

—Berks County Veterans Affairs Office, 610-378-5601

—Berks Coalition to End Homelessness, 610-372-7222

—211, which provides 24/7 social service referrals.

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