Veterans constitute a disproportionate share of our country's homeless population. Thousands of former servicemen and women will sleep on the street or in shelters on any given night. The majority suffer from post-traumatic stress and other mental illnesses, including co-occurring alcohol or drug addictions.

Our housing programs provide a safe place for veterans to address the issues that led to their homelessness and provide them with the resources for a successful recovery and the skills to overcome poverty and despair.

Community Hope launched this crisis intervention program in Newark, NJ in July 2011 for the numerous homeless veterans living on the streets and in shelters in our State’s largest city and the surrounding areas.

VETS focuses on crisis stabilization approach with an immediate focus on providing safe, rapidly-accessible housing. We meet each veteran’s most basic needs for a warm place to sleep, shelter, safety, food and clothing and work to gain their trust to engage them in accepting other needed services, such as healthcare and alcohol or drug detoxification.

Our goal is to work with the veteran in stabilizing their situation and preparing them – within several months -- to transition to longer-term transitional or permanent housing, where they can rebuild their self-sufficiency, improve their health and successfully overcome chronic homelessness. Community Hope expects to help as many as 170 veterans in the first five years of the VETS Program.

For more information and a referral, please call the Veterans National Homeless Call Center at 1-877-424-3838.

View The Award Winning Documentary on Our Hope for Veterans Program