I am an addiction counselor at the Lincoln Nebraska Veterans Hospital. My supervisor received an Innovations Proposal Grant for a therapeutic Living House to supplement our treatment program at the hospital. It was a huge success! Guess what. After helping over 75 veterans, with an over the top success rate, it was closed down. This was a very economical program supplemented by the community. The food bank and HHS provided the food. Other recourses in the community provided clothes, cooking lessons, transportation, voc rehab funds, and on and on. It only cost $30K/year from the VA. But alas, it did not fit into a preset template so easier to wipe the whole thing. Unfortunately there are 8 veterans who had to be placed in short order.
The veterans from the program are taking things into their own hands. They have started a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization to start the house from scratch since the doors close forever on the original house on April 29th. They had their first dance and raised a grand. A golf tourney, a BBQ cook-off, and a veteran’s day banquet are in the works. Oh- and a plea to Extreme Makeover Home Addition. Here are some links to help the veterans:
Operation Veterans Encouraging Recovery
Plea to Extreme Makeover for Veterans
Post support for EMHA at ABC.com
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