National nonprofit organization, Endeavors, is launching a program to help Puerto Rican Veterans facing or experiencing homelessness find competitive employment and permanent housing.
68% of Puerto Rico’s inhabitants currently live below the poverty level, and 17% of those are Veterans. Thanks to more than $498,000 in annual funding from the Department of Labor’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP), Endeavors Puerto Rico will be providing comprehensive Case Management services to unhoused Veterans in five non-urban municipalities: Bayamon, Caguas, Carolina, Guaynabo, and San Juan.
Endeavors will be connecting qualifying Veterans with job training, long-term competitive employment and permanent housing. Each Veteran will have a Case Manager to develop a customized, fully comprehensive plan to beat the cycle of homelessness. These plans include: career goals, vocational skills, housing and transportation needs, personal and family issues, and physical or behavioral needs.
“Our mission is to restore the dignity of our Veterans in very quantitative ways, through reliable services,” Director of Operations Carlos Cubero says.
Endeavors has a lengthy history of serving Veterans, including Veterans facing and experiencing homelessness, across the United States. The nonprofit is a leader in rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention for Veterans and their families. As a believer in the power of peer-support, Endeavors has hired a team of Veterans with a strong understanding of military culture to best serve the incoming Veteran clients.
The Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program kicks off Summer 2022, and Endeavors Case Managers will be visiting regional homeless shelters, encampments, and hospitals/treatment facilities to distribute information about available services. Veterans in need can also reach out to Endeavors via endeavors.org and schedule an intake appointment. Details about eligibility and the intake process can be found on the website.
With offices in San Juan, Endeavors Puerto Rico has been working to support community resiliency across the island since it was hit by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The nonprofit has helped rebuild and repair over 9,000 homes through a FEMA Disaster Case Management grant. Even though the FEMA program has ended, Endeavors continues to rebuild homes in partnership with faith based organizations who volunteer their time and expertise to come to PR to continue the recovery effort.
ABOUT ENDEAVORS
Endeavors is a national service organization that has been assisting vulnerable populations since 1969. Endeavors offers an array of services and programs supporting children, families, Veterans and those struggling with mental illness, disabilities, disasters or emergencies. Endeavors serves people in crisis with personalized services. Each year, Endeavors provides low to no-cost mental health care, wraparound case management services, life skills training, and transition support to over 1,400 Veterans and families, including women, Veterans of color, LGBTQ+ Veterans, Veterans experiencing homelessness, and justice-involved Veterans. For more information, visit www.endeavors.org