HomeAid Wounded Veterans Program Launched
NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA. National Basketball Association (NBA) Team President and Coach of the Miami Heat Pat Riley and Genette Eaton, CEO of HomeAid, a national non-profit provider of housing for persons who are homeless, this week launched a new HomeAid Wounded Veterans program to address employability for returning veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Announced at a kick-off event in Los Angeles, the new program will build facilities across the U.S. that provide supportive educational services and job-skills training to help returning service members attain self-sufficiency.
The HomeAid Wounded Veterans program identified three important elements to help returning service members address both the need for recovery from physical and emotional injuries, while increasing employment opportunity: a stable place to live during transition; support services with a specific focus on employability; and an organization with the credibility, experience, and nationwide breadth to establish and manage a response to veterans' needs.
HomeAid will support both the housing and management elements. Through HomeAid, the program will build multi-unit housing facilities across the U.S. that will be donated to service provider organizations that offer the support and educational services. Under Mr. Riley's leadership, HomeAid will manage the program's day-to-day operations. The program plans to build a minimum of ten facilities across the country in the next five years in locations such as Houston, TX; Fitchburg, MA; Miami, FL; Los Angeles, CA; San Diego, CA; and New York, NY - geographical and construction targets that have a confluence of wounded veterans, builders, funding partners, service providers and available land.
"HomeAid Wounded Veterans will follow our proprietary housing development model by creating public/private partnerships that provide monetary and in-kind donations for each building project that we undertake," said Ms. Eaton. "Partnering with local and national builders as well as local and national service provider organizations, HomeAid has created a seamless approach to building and operating multi-unit housing facilities for today's homeless and veteran populations."
According to HomeAid strategy, job- and life-skills training are vital to increase employability for wounded veterans. Lack of specific job training coupled with their wounds places many of them at a disadvantage when seeking employment. Skills training received in the military often is not transferable or may not be fully appreciated by employers. Also, a veteran's physical, mental or emotional wounds may inhibit use of military training. According to Mr. Riley, the requisite job training must be provided in a nurturing environment that offers emotional, physical and mental support. Multiple service providers will be sought to provide these life-enhancing services.
Since 1989, HomeAid, a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization, has successfully marshaled the resources of the construction industry to build and donate housing to service provider organizations that serve individuals and families who are temporarily homeless. HomeAid has built more than 150 facilities, serviced more than 80,000 individuals and developed a housing portfolio that exceeds $200 million.