The money will go toward programs in 26 states and the District of Columbia that have job placement services, job training and counseling and supportive services, such as literacy and skills training.
Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced the grants yesterday, and during a teleconference she explained the importance of this initiative.
âMillions of hardworking, responsible families are at risk of losing their homes as a result of job losses, reductions in working hours and lower wages,â she said. âAnd probably no other segment of our population is more vulnerable to homelessness than our veterans, and more recently and importantly, female veterans.â
The Veterans Affairs Department said there are about 107,000 homeless veterans, of whom 5,000 are estimated to be homeless female veterans. About 1,300 are homeless veterans with families.
âWe know many of them have been exposed to trauma [or] post-traumatic stress,â Solis said. âSome have experienced sexual assault.â
The grants are only one thing the Department of Labor is doing to fix this issue. It is the departmentâs hope these initiatives will help provide a brighter future for veterans and their families.
âOn the battlefields of war, our veterans pledge to leave no one behind,â Solis said. âToday, weâre doing our part to make sure that our veterans come home â that we do not leave them behind.â