Veteran's Day Fundraiser to Help House Homeless Veterans
A national organization dedicated to service has joined forces with a local nonprofit focused on a national effort to house homeless veterans nationwide. Together, National Exchange Club and Veterans Matter, both based in Toledo, have announced a strategic national partnership to help raise the funds to ensure every American veteran has a place to call home.
The yearlong $1.5 million campaign aims to house 2,000 veterans nationwide and will kick off with simultaneous fundraising rallies and walks in more than 50 cities and towns on Veterans Day. Local Exchange Clubs will join with Exchange Clubs across the country to meet the national goal.
To launch the local campaign, the Exchange Clubs of Toledo, West Toledo, Maumee Bay and Maumee will join with the Lucas County Veterans Services Commission and the Lucas County Commissioners to host a rally at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 at the Conn-Weissenberger American Legion Hall, 2020 W. Alexis Road, in Toledo. The USO-style event will feature dancing, live music, raffles, an all-you-can-eat chili cook-off and more. Admission is a free-will donation or $5 for a chili cook-off spoon.
Funds raised will go directly to Veterans Matter, dedicated solely to moving homeless veterans into safe, permanent housing. Veterans Matter pays deposits/first month's rents for waiting veterans approved for HUD-VASH housing vouchers through the VA, allowing them to cross the threshold from being on the streets to being in their own place.
Veterans Matter has a 100% success rate in housing veterans in a government program that has a 91% success rate in keeping veterans housed. The program has housed nearly 800 veterans in more than 110 cities in 11 states since its start in 2012; along with spouses and children, the total number of people housed tops 1,100.
Since there is no guarantee of the HUD-VASH program continuing indefinitely, Veterans Matter and the National Exchange Club jointly declared a "State of Urgency" and created this campaign to leverage their collective community resources to house as many veterans as possible, as fast as possible.
“We are proud to partner with The National Exchange Club as they, too, are actively dedicated to caring for the men and women who served as well as the most vulnerable people in all communities. We are declaring this a State of Urgency because there are veterans and veteran families with children waiting right now for housing. They just need the help getting over the threshold,” said Ken Leslie, founder of Veterans Matter, a program of the 501(c)3 nonprofit 1Matters.org.
“The National Exchange Club recognizes the tragedy that so many service men and women, those who’ve fought to protect us, have been forgotten,” said Tracey Edwards, executive vice president of The National Exchange Club. "With Veterans Matter we have found a remarkably effective way to help thousands of veterans and veteran families living on our nation’s streets to 'cross the threshold' into their own homes as fast as possible."
Any individuals, businesses, groups and organizations are invited to join National Exchange Club and Veterans Matter in attending, hosting or sponsoring a local 11/11@7 event. To find one in your area, visit www.veteransmatter.org/nec.
About National Exchange Club
Known as “America’s Oldest Service Club”, the National Exchange Club has 20,000 Exchangites, or members, in approximately 650 Exchange Clubs in communities across the U.S. As one of its three main "Programs of Service," Americanism is a core component of the National Exchange Club's identity. Founded in 1911, the NEC is committed to promoting love of country through volunteer projects performed by Exchangites in their respective communities.
About Veterans Matter
Veterans Matter has a simple mission: House as many veterans as we can, as fast as we can. By partnering with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s HUD-VASH program, Veterans Matter eliminates the last barrier keeping homeless veterans out of long-term supportive housing – the security deposit. Veterans Matter pays that security deposit directly to the landlord via a secure online system, scalable to every funded community. Referrals come exclusively from VA staff when a veteran has identified housing and is ready and able to sign the lease. Referrals are approved online within minutes, reducing the wait time from weeks to minutes. Because the program is supported by over 20 celebrities including Gary Sinise, Kid Rock, Ice-T, Katy Perry, Susan Sarandon and others who all raise funds or awareness for the program, many landlords are comfortable allowing the veteran into housing immediately. Launched in Toledo, Ohio, in 2012 when founder Ken Leslie, himself formerly homeless, learned of the funding gap prevent 35 local veterans from getting housed, the program has gone viral and has housed nearly 800 veterans in 11 states. The program’s effectiveness earned Leslie an invitation to participate in the White House Summit to End Veteran Homelessness in 2014.
For more information:
www.nationalexchangeclub.org
www.veteransmatter.org/rally
Press Release Contact Name: Sarah Ottney
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Organization Name: Veterans Matter
Website or Link: www.veteransmatter.org
Organization Address: 3450 W. Central Ave, Suite 108, Toledo, OH, 43606