The Patriots Project: Transitional Veterans' Housing

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

For many Veterans in need, after the parades are over and the patriotic speeches are done, the troubles adjusting to civilian life may just be beginning. Although there are some answers in major cities, there are none in many rural counties like ours all across America. To address these needs County Executive Mike Hein designed a new model called the Patriots Project which effectively ended Veteran homelessness in Ulster County. This model included a unique solution to secure the necessary funding, coordinate community support, and continued long term service delivery. To secure the funding we worked with our local SUNY Ulster College, the New York State Government, and countless others. Support came from Veterans organizations, community service groups, area businesses, faith based organizations, and individual donors. As a result, Ulster County was able to secure and renovate a property and turn it into a state of the art living facility. To provide essential services, Ulster County entered into an agreement with a nonprofit organization for twenty-four hour staffing on site. Ulster County now has a beautiful home which provides our homeless Veterans with clean, safe and dignified transitional housing while receiving the assistance they need to return to the society they fought so hard to protect. This model can be replicated across the country.