A recently launched advertising campaign is calling attention to the number of homeless veterans in Duval, Clay and Nassau Counties.
The initiative includes three digital billboards and a new webpage that are designed to raise public awareness about homelessness among veterans.
Marti Johnson, program director for Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) in Jacksonville, says HomesForOurBrave.com serves as a one-stop-shop for a wide range of social programs.
“Previous to this design, clients, or in this case, veterans, would have to approach different service providers and really navigate that process by themselves," she said "Now there’s one central source.”
Johnson says the new webpage can help struggling veterans and their families with everything from housing and transportation assistance to counseling and community services.
According to the preliminary results of the 2014 Annual Point in Time Count conducted this past January, 183 veterans were found to be living on Duval County's streets, 141 fewer than in 2013.
Nationally, Florida has the second highest homeless veteran population in the country.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hopes to end veteran homelessness for good.
The Eight agencies partnering with SSVF on the Homes For The Brave campaign are:
- Barnabas Center
- Catholic Charities
- Community Connections
- Clara White Mission
- Jewish Family & Community Services
- River Region Human Services
- The Salvation Army
- The Sulzbacher Center
You can follow Cyd Hoskinson on Twitter @cydwjctnews.
