On any given night, there are as many as 2,213 veterans experiencing homelessness living on the streets in Arizona.  Another 4,200 veterans have spent at least one night in emergency shelter or transitional housing programs located throughout the state.  Consider the fact that over fifty percent of the homeless veteran population lives in Maricopa County, and clearly, you see a growing problem walking the Valley streets.  But there is a solution.  Project H3: VETS hopes to work towards that solution.

Project H3 VETS is a collaborative initiative  coordinated by the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness and aligned nationally with the 100,000 Homes Campaign and the VA National Homeless Veterans Outreach Campaign.  Starting Veterans' Day week, approximately 175 community volunteers and stakeholders will begin the process of identifying and using the Vulnerability Index to survey 1,100-1,200 homeless veterans by the close of the Arizona StandDown on February 5, 2012. 

Data collected during Survey Week and thereafter will be used to target the most vulnerable veterans who are at greatest risk of premature death on the streets with permanent housing and support services through the HUD-VASH program.  The other veterans will be targeted with additional resources that best meet their needs.  The vouchers are only a first step to a successful transition out of homelessness.  Project H3 VETS is also looking for corporate community partners and generous individuals willing to help these homeless heroes leave the streets behind.  Donate today.

Currently the process to house a chronically homeless veteran in the HUD-VASH program is an average of 126 days.  Project H3 VETS will work with community partners, navigation teams, and Local, State, and Federal agencies, utilizing the process/practices learned during Project H3 to house chronically homeless veterans in a quarter of the time.