Activism

Veterans
Homelessness is about disconnection. Music is about connection.

This year we partnered with the amazing people at the Give US Your Poor campaign and are really excited to be a part of the American Music Project: Voices for Veterans, an initiative focused on utilizing the power of music to help end veteran homelessness forever. They are partnering with musicians from all over the country to raise awareness and funds for targeted housing services.

To help reach our goal of getting a minimum of ten homeless veterans off the streets and into housing, we are proud to donate the proceeds from this year’s Ramble to Veterans Matter and the New England Center for Homeless Veterans (NECHV).

Here in New England it costs $1,000 for a security deposit and first/last month’s rent for subsidized housing, per veteran, through the Department of Housing & Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) voucher program. Our goal is to raise enough money to cover these deposits for at least ten veterans.

Veterans Matter is an innovative, rapid response program created to get veterans into housing immediately. For many veterans who qualify for the HUD-VASH voucher program, the only thing preventing them from crossing the literal threshold into available housing is the deposit and first/last month’s rent. Veterans Matter partners with local Veterans Affairs programs, such as the NECHV, and provides those security deposits directly to the landlords, allowing veterans to move in as soon as possible. 100% of the Ramble’s donation will go directly to housing veterans.

The New England Center for Homeless Veterans (NECHV) is a multi-dimension service and care provider dedicated to assisting veterans who are facing or are at-risk of homelessness. The Center offers a broad array of programs, services, and counseling that enable success, reintegration, meaningful employment and independent living through the HUD-VASH program.

Did you know…

in 2012, on a single night in January, 62,619 veterans were homeless? This accounts for 13% of the entire homeless population. (HUD)

1 out of 4 adult homeless males has put on a uniform and served our country? (NCHV)

51% of homeless veterans have disabilities? (NCHV)

Approximately 12,700 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) were homeless in 2010, and the number of young homeless veterans is increasing? (NCHV)

about 1.4 million other veterans are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing? (NCHV)

That a single veteran is without a home is wrong, that approximately 63,000 sleep in a shelter or on the street on a given night is shameful. The good news is the nature and scope of the problem makes it solvable. President Obama has committed to a goal of ending homelessness among veterans by 2015 and Congress has collaborated effectively in this area. We need to do our part too. By helping one veteran at a time.

THEY FOUGHT FOR US. LET’S FIGHT FOR THEM.

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In addition to our headliner cause, each year we invite some of our favorite non-profit orgs from around New England to join the festivities and provide information on how you can be involved throughout the year!