What a day can look like for a Veteran experiencing homelessness
VA News ·
Understanding the daily realities Veterans face can help communities connect them with the housing and supportive services needed to overcome homelessness.
For a Veteran experiencing homelessness, every day is different. Where a Veteran goes and what they do can depend on the services available in their community; the weather, their health, their work schedule and whether they have a safe place to keep their belongings can all impact their access to services.
Many Veterans experiencing homelessness are working, including through temporary or seasonal jobs. Having a job, however, doesn’t necessarily mean a Veteran can afford housing. In communities with limited affordable housing, a paycheck may not be enough to cover rent, utilities, a security deposit and other expenses needed to obtain and maintain housing.
During the day, Veterans may move between places that help them meet basic needs and stay connected to resources. Day centers can provide essential supports, such as showers, laundry, food, classes and connections to services. Veterans may also have appointments for mental health or substance use treatment, work with staff to replace identification documents or meet with healthcare providers.
When deciding where to spend their day, Veterans may consider factors many people take for granted: Is the location safe? Can they keep an eye on their belongings? Is it crowded? Will they be welcomed there? Will it provide shelter from extreme heat, cold, rain or snow?
These concerns can be especially difficult when a Veteran is carrying everything they own. The possibility of theft or the loss of important belongings can influence where they go and whether they feel comfortable leaving their possessions unattended. Weather conditions can also shape these decisions, as Veterans may need to spend additional time locating places that provide shelter from extreme temperatures, rain or other hazardous conditions.
Healthcare can present another set of challenges. Some medications need to be kept cool, while others need to be taken at specific times, with food or with medical supplies like syringes, needles and monitors. Without reliable storage, transportation or a private place to take medication, following a treatment plan can become significantly more difficult.
Because these challenges overlap and vary from day to day, Veterans experiencing homelessness need flexible and tailored support systems and services that can meet them where they are.
VA works with communities across the country to provide a range of housing interventions and supportive services designed to address the realities Veterans face each day. These programs and other VA and community resources help create pathways that meet Veterans where they are and connect them with the support they need to move toward stable housing:
Community members can also play an important role in supporting Veterans experiencing homelessness.
Offering a hot meal, helping with transportation to an appointment, providing a ride to a day center or simply asking what they need can help a Veteran meet an immediate need and make it easier to access services. When appropriate, community partners can also help connect Veterans to VA and other local resources. The National Call Center for Homeless Veterans is available 24/7 at 877-424-3838 to connect Veterans and those who want to help them with trained responders who can identify available VA and community resources.
At VA, the goal isn’t simply to address a Veteran’s immediate housing needs. It’s to understand and respond to the circumstances that can make finding and maintaining housing difficult. By working with community partners and offering a range of housing and supportive services, VA is helping create pathways that meet Veterans where they are and connect them to the resources they need to move toward a safe, stable place to call home.