VA Offers Dental Insurance Program
Submitted By Merrill Vaughan, Chaplain
American Legion Peterson-Cram Post 75
VA is partnering with Delta Dental and MetLife to allow eligible
Veterans, plus family members receiving care under the Civilian
Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA), to purchase affordable dental
insurance beginning Nov. 15, VA officials announced today.
“VA continues to explore innovative ways to help Veterans get access
to the care and services they have earned and deserve,” said
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “This new dental
program is another example of VA creating partnerships with the
private sector to deliver a range of high-quality care at an
affordable cost, for our Nation’s Veterans.”
More than 8 million Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care can
choose to purchase one of the offered dental plans. This three-year
pilot has been designed for Veterans with no dental coverage, or
those eligible for VA dental care who would like to purchase
additional coverage. Participation will not affect entitlement to
VA dental services and treatment.
There are no eligibility limitations based on
service-connected disability rating or enrollment priority
assignment. People interested in participating may complete an
application online through either Delta Dental,
www.deltadentalvadip.org, or MetLife,
www.metlife.com/vadip beginning Nov. 15.
Coverage for this new dental insurance will begin Jan. 1, 2014, and
will be available throughout the United States and its territories.
Also eligible for the new benefits are nearly 400,000 spouses and
dependent children who are reimbursed for most medical expenses
under VA’s CHAMPVA program. Generally, CHAMPVA participants are
spouses, survivors or dependent children of Veterans officially
rated as “permanently and totally” disabled by a service-connected
condition.
Dental services under the new program vary by plan and include
diagnostic, preventive, surgical, emergency and
endodontic/restorative treatment. Enrollment in the VA Dental
Insurance Plan (VADIP) is voluntary. Participants are responsible
for all premiums, which range from $8.65 to $52.90 per month for
individual plans. Copayments and other charges may apply.
Historically VA’s free dental services have gone to Veterans with
dental problems connected to a medical condition that’s officially
certified as “service connected.” Free dental services will
continue for those Veterans.
For more information on VADIP, visit
www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vadip, or
contact Delta Dental at 1-855-370-3303 or MetLife at 1-888-310-1681.
Veterans who are not enrolled in the VA health care
system can apply at any time by visiting
www.va.gov/healthbenefits/enroll, calling
1-877-222-VETS (8387) or visiting their local VA health care
facility.
“Meet our Members” – Acting Fire Chief Nick Abell
Next up in Pittsfield Fire Department’s “Meet Our Members” series is
Acting Fire Chief Nick Abell.
Q: How long have you been a member of the Fire Department?
A: I joined the Pittsfield Fire Department 13 years ago. I joined
shortly after the conflagration on Park Street in 2000.
Q: Are you working on a fire department project?
A: As Acting Fire Chief there are many projects that I participate
in. One project I have been working on, and hope to continue to work
on as Deputy Fire Chief, is Standard Operating Procedures and
Standard Operating Guidelines. These procedures/guidelines ensure
uniformity in fire rescue and EMS situations.
Q: What has been the best training you attended?
A: I have taken a lot of training; however, the best trainings I
have attended are those taught by our members. It’s refreshing to
have a different perspective of member’s ideas and teaching methods.
Q: Why did you accept the position of Acting Chief?
A: When the Board of Selectmen asked if I would serve the role of
Acting Chief I accepted for many reasons, particularly because I
felt I could bring stability to the department regardless of how
short my term. The department has undergone four Fire Chiefs in
about 18 months. Another reason I accepted was to embrace the
thoughts of members on how they see department operations. Without
the support of the officers and members there would be no fire
department.
Legion Post 88 News
Respectively Submitted By Commander Shawn Jones
[email protected]
Greetings Legionnaires,
On November 7th I attended a Veterans Day Ceremony at Merrimack
Valley Middle School. I would like to thank the students and faculty
for all the time and energy they put into this event to make it
something special for us veterans. I had a wonderful time listening
to the speakers and the music played by the band. Also on this day I
hand carried our donation check of $250.00 to the Loudon Food Pantry
for their holiday food basket needs. I met with Sarah Houck who
gladly accepted our donation. This donation will help the food
pantry do the most good for our area residents who are struggling to
put food on the table for their families.
In the evening hours of November 7th I attended calling hours for a
fallen comrade. Post member Howard “Howie” Nowell, Jr. went to be
with his Heavenly Father on November 4 2013. Howie was a veteran of
the US Navy serving during the Korean War. His Legion family extends
its condolences to his wife Marie and his entire family.
Please continue to send your 2014 dues renewals in by December 31st.
Please consider coming to one of our meetings so that I can put a
face to your name and get to know you as a fellow veteran vs a
number on our membership roster. We meet at Charlie’s Barn on the
third Wednesday of the month at 1900 hours.
Your post still needs you to provide us with a copy of your DD-214’s
so that we can keep them on file per new IRS regulations. If you do
not have a copy of your DD-214 you can contact the National
Personnel Records Center. Write to Military Personnel Records, 9700
Page Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100. Their phone number is
314-801-0800 and you can request a copy by going on line to
http;//vetrecs.archives.gov.
We hope to see you at our next meeting on December 18th at 7 PM. I’m
going to be offering some incentives for members that recruit a new
member to our post. Come to a meeting to find out more or contact
me. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Decorated Wreath Contest
At The Pittsfield Christmas Tree Lighting
Mark your calendars - Saturday, Dec. 7 from 4:00-6:00pm for the
annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration sponsored by the Greater
Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce - Everyone is welcome to attend!
We will be having a DECORATED WREATH CONTEST again this year.
Everyone is invited to bring a decorated (anyway you’d like) wreath
to Dustin Park. The wreaths will be displayed (either outside or
inside PYW - depending on the weather) and will be judged by the
public. The winner will be announced at 6pm after the Tree lighting
and will receive a “Surprise Goodie Basket” donated by Louie Houle.
Please drop your wreath off by 3:45pm at Dustin Park (PYW) and
please pick up your wreath by 6:15pm. Any wreaths that are not
picked up will be donated to local groups.
Get in the Holiday Spirit and show off your
creativity and bring a wreath. The contest is open to everyone!
For more information, contact Andi Riel at 435-6346 or visit the
Chamber’s website
www.pittsfieldchamber.org.
Pittsfield Christmas Tree Lighting
and Children’s Store Celebration
Save the Date, Saturday, Dec. 7 – the Greater Pittsfield Chamber of
Commerce will sponsor the annual Christmas Tree Lighting and
Children’s Store Celebration. Also a craft fair at the First
Congregational Church will be held.
** New this year – on FRIDAY, DEC. 6, at 7:30pm - Bodacious Babes –
a Free Concert will be held at the Scenic Theatre. Please bring a
canned food donation.
The day begins with the Pittsfield Elementary School PTO sponsored
Breakfast with Santa. Breakfast will be served for $3.00 per person
between 8:00-9:30am in the PES Cafeteria. Photos with Santa will be
available for $1.00 each. This is a fundraising event for the PTO.
Then after a hearty breakfast kids can shop at the Children’s Store
at the PES Gym from 9:00-noon. The Victory Workers 4-H Club will be
hosting a Cookie Walk at PES during the Children’s Store – parents
will have an activity to keep them busy while the kids shop.
Volunteer “elves” will assist shoppers up to age 16 in purchasing
gifts for their parents, siblings, teachers or friends. The Store
is open to CHILDREN ONLY – sorry, no adults allowed. Most of the
items are new or nearly new and can be purchased for $1.00 or less.
Some items are more expensive. There is also free gift wrapping
available.
Anyone interested in donating items (new or nearly new), Christmas
wrapping paper, GIFT BAGS (the wrappers love gift bags), tags or
tape may drop them off to the various donation boxes at Jitters
Café, Pittsfield Post Office, or Northway Bank. Monetary donations
are gladly accepted to help defray some of the costs associated with
the event. Please make checks payable to: Greater Pittsfield
Chamber of Commerce and mail to Greater Chamber of Commerce, Attn:
Children’s Store/Tree Lighting, P.O. Box 234, Pittsfield, NH 03263.
The celebration continues at DUSTIN PARK from 4-6pm (on Sat., Dec.
7) The Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration is fun for the whole
family and is a great community event. There will be FREE horse
drawn wagon rides, Holiday music by the Joyce Family, cookies,
cocoa, popcorn, candycanes and caroling led by the local Girl Scout
troops. Inside PYW (Pittsfield Youth Workshop) there will be a
Gingerbread House Display and raffle, face painting, visit with
SANTA (who will arrive via Firetruck around 4pm), photos will be
taken and available to download from the town website OR feel free
to bring your own camera. HOT chili, chowder, and soups will be
available for a donation of a canned or packaged food (or purchased
for a few dollars) to benefit our LOCAL FOOD PANTRY.
HOLIDAY STORY TIME from 3:30-4pm at the Josiah Carpenter Library –
on Sat,
Dec. 7 – All ages are welcome to come to the Library and enjoy some
Holiday stories with Mrs. Grainger.
Get in the Holiday Spirit and DECORATE A WREATH and enter it in the
Decorated Wreath Contest – decorate it anyway you’d like- drop it
off at PYW (Dustin Park) by 3:45pm (on Sat, Dec. 7) and the public
will vote for the best one! Winner will receive a Gift Basket,
donated by Louie Houle – Meadow Ledge Orchards.
*** New this year – A raffle for a (fresh) Christmas Tree will be
held. Free -One entry per person. The winner will be able to
choose their tree from the selection the Corinithian Lodge Masons
will have available.
The Suncook Valley Area Lions Club will be collecting new and/or
handmade mittens, hats, scarves and socks for children. These items
may be brought to the Tree Lighting and dropped off. Prior to the
Tree Lighting, items may be dropped off at Jitters Café.
The Highlight of the Celebration will be everyone gathering around
the Christmas Tree, singing Holiday songs and counting down to the
Lighting of the TREE. The Blue Star Mothers group will be there to
assist anyone who would like to add a Star to the Tree.
For more information, please contact Andi Riel at
435-6346 or visit
www.pittsfieldchamber.org.
Josiah Carpenter Library News
Vital programs are continuing to develop at the Josiah Carpenter
Library. The following is a listing of some of the upcoming programs
for citizens to consider attending. Please call the library for
further details.
Adult Book Club: “Read, Meet and Talk” will resume with a new
meeting time and place. Adults interested in reading and discussing
a variety of group fiction selections are invited to attend an
initial meeting on December 10 at 11:00 am at the Pittsfield
Community Center.
Josiah Teen Book Worms: Meeting to discuss “A Million Little Pieces”
by James Frey on Dec. 3rd at 7:00 pm. Selection for January: “The
Fault of our Stars” by John Green. Come and enjoy lively discussions
with some serious readers.
Monthly Movie Madness: Vote for the new movie of the month to be
added to the DVD collection-a new genre every month; for more
details go to Josiahcarpenterlibrary.org.
Preschool Story hour marches on with Mrs. Grainger Thursday mornings
from 10:00 to 11:00 am., engaging young readers with stories, crafts
and snacks. Come see our new additions to the children’s collection
from the NH State Library’s Children’s Book Review.
Author Presentations: More details will be available soon about the
co-sponsored program with the Pittsfield Historical Society hosting
Michele Albion (New Hampshire author of “The Quotable Henry Ford”
among other books) in February.
Dorcas Guild – November 2013
The November 12 meeting of the Dorcas Guild opened with a welcome by
President Nancy Fogg with a special welcome to Lenore Favenesi. Joan
Riel led devotions reading a moving piece entitled, “Christ’s Child
– Jesus – has Down Syndrome this Christmas,” and all joined in
reciting “The Lord’s Prayer.”
The secretary read the October minutes, which were approved by the
15 members present. She also read a couple of pieces of
correspondence and circulated several cards for signing and mailing.
The treasurer gave her report.
The food basket was taken by Freda Jones and will go next to Carolyn
Davis. The apron went from Kathy Bergeron to Joan Riel and will go
next to Reny Boyd. The mystery package, brought by Peggy Jacobs, was
won by Leslie Vogt.
Various items of old business were discussed including the updating
of our yearbook with hostesses, contact information and events. The
Nominating Committee (Peggy Jacobs and Bev Murdough) reported next
year’s slate of officers: Nancy Fogg, president; Kathy Bergeron and
Mary Jo Powelson, co-vice-presidents; Nella Hobson, recording
secretary and Joan Riel, corresponding secretary; and Reny Boyd,
treasurer. All were voted in unanimously.
Final preparations for the upcoming Christmas Fair to be held
November 23 were discussed. Set up will take place during our
regular workgroup meeting, Wednesday, November 20, 10-2, with
several men, including Bruce Jacobs, Don Bergeron, Mark Riel and
Mike Hobson, assisting in setting up tables and carrying items down
from storage. The kitchen crew will begin their preparations Friday,
November 22 at 6 pm, and will arrive the day of the fair at 8 am.
The sign-up sheet will be posted in the kitchen to remind
participants as to what they agreed to donate. Volunteers staffing
the sale tables, “Unique Boutique” and silent auction, cashiers and
wrappers, and waitresses have been finalized with some willing to be
“floaters.” The bake table, headed by Freda Jones, will take
donations beginning at 8:30 am the day of the fair (as well as the
previous evening). Several ladies will be assisting Freda in pricing
and arranging the items.
The wreaths adorning the front and rear doors of the church were
discussed. The Flower Committee arranges for them, but the Dorcas
Guild will assume the cost from now on as formerly it was shared by
the Dorcas Guild now the now disbanded Ladies Aid.
Under new business the Service Project for 2014 was discussed, but
no conclusion was reached. Mary Poarch, a missionary we support,
asked for prayer for her ailing parents. The Guild selected December
1 for the church’s Fellowship Hour. Members donated a large number
of socks for this month’s project; they were divided among two
charities with Elaine Coffey and Peggy Jacobs arranging for the
donations. Thank you, members!
The Craft Fair will be held Saturday, December 7, 9-2 with
approximately a dozen vendors participating. All contracts have gone
out with several already returned with payment. Set-up for the fair
will be Friday, December 6 at 2 pm. Helping to set up the rooms
include Nella and Mike Hobson, Kathy and Don Bergeron, Lenore
Favenesi and Joan Riel.
At the close of the meeting, delicious servings of pumpkin pie with
whipped cream, crackers and cheese and fruit were served on festive
Thanksgiving Day themed paper goods. The next meeting, which will be
our Christmas Pot Luck and Gift Exchange, will be held December 10
at 6 pm, with hostesses Peggy Jacobs, Mary Jo Powelson, Reny Boyd
and Polly Dodge. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to share and a
wrapped gift to exchange ($10).
Annual Craft Fair
Don’t miss the annual Craft Fair at the First
Congregational Church, 24 Main Street, Pittsfield, Saturday, Dec. 7,
9 am-2 pm. Over a dozen local artisans feature fine seasonal crafts
of all types including knits, decorative items, fresh greenery,
gourmet selections and much more. Luncheon is available and offered
by the Dorcas Guild. There is parking and a wheelchair accessible
entrance at rear of church. More info at 435-7471 or
www.pittsfieldcc.com.
Senior Center December News
On Thursday December 5th at 11:30AM the Center will host Lights of
Life to honor and remember your loved ones that no longer grace us
with their presence. The Concord Regional Visiting Nurses
Association will be conducting this community remembrance ceremony.
Stay for lunch following the ceremony, and you can continue to
share warm memories that hold a special place in your heart.
The Senior Center’s bus will be going to the area of the Christmas
Tree Shop on Monday December 9th. The suggested donation for the
bus transportation is $2.00. If you are interested, call the center
for details (435-8482).
On Tuesday December 10th at 10:30 AM a book club, sponsored by both
the Senior Center and the Josiah Carpenter Library, will have their
first meeting to plan what to read, and maybe pick a club name! The
meeting will be held at the senior center.
The Gilmanton Dump Run Gang will be performing on December 12th at
11:00 AM. Join us for fun concert featuring spoons, washboard,
keyboard, banjo and more—then stay for lunch!
Anita Oelfke, ServiceLink’s Medicare Coordinator will present
updates and answer questions on Tuesday December 17th at 11:45 AM;
then Anita will stay for lunch to continue answering people’s
questions.
The Senior Center Holiday Party will be held on Thursday December
19th at noon. We’ll enjoy a delicious holiday meal, served by
student volunteers from Pittsfield Middle High School. Following
lunch people who are interested can participate in a Yankee Swap
(items should cost no more than $10.00). Please make your lunch
reservation by Tuesday December 10th.
Please join us for any activities that catch your interest, and take
the opportunity to treasure the gift of family and friends this
holiday season.
Letter To The Editor
Concord Regional VNA Hospice Lights of Life is Here
As fall transitions to winter and with the holidays ahead, many of
us gather with family to share, to give thanks, and to remember.
Each year in December, Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association
Hospice Lights of Life helps us honor our loved ones. The annual
event also assists in raising awareness about the compassionate care
that is provided by the Concord Regional VNA Hospice Program. For
more than three decades, our agency has cared for and supported
hundreds of patients with lifelimiting illnesses in their homes,
nursing facilities, and at the Concord Regional VNA Hospice House.
We guide patients and their families through this time of
uncertainty to help them find comfort, dignity, and peace.
Also this month, Hospice Lights of Life shine in the windows of many
community partners including in downtown Pittsfield to celebrate
lives past. These lights shine in celebration and to honor the
memory of the many loved ones who hold a special place in our hearts
and.have passed away.
As a not-for-profit, community-based organization, Concord Regional
VNA relies on the kind support of its donors to assist in fulfilling
our mission of meeting the health needs of our community members. A
sincere thank you to those who support and partner with us in
providing the best possible quality care for patients and their
families in central New Hampshire and beyond since 1899.
Take a moment to enjoy Hospice Lights of Life and reflect on the
past and remember those in our
Kathleeen Ames, Chair of the Concord Regional VNA Board of Trustees
Charles Fanaras, Chair of the Concord Regional VNA Development
Committee
Bodacious Babes Appear In Special Christmas Concert
Bodacious Babes Kat Murphy and
Peg Johnson are in the Christmas
Mood.
The Pittsfield Players will present The Bodacious Babes in a special
Christmas Show on Friday, December 6, at 7:30 pm. This show is
sponsored by the Sanderson Fund and will be presented, free of
charge, as The Players’ gift to the community. Free tickets will be
available in advance at the Scenic Theatre box office on Tuesday and
Wednesday, December 3 and 4, from 4pm to 7 pm. There is a limit of
four tickets per person. If all the tickets are not taken by the
night of the concert they will be available at the door. If you are
going to this concert, the Players ask that you bring a new and/or
clean used coat for men, women and children for the Rotary Club Coat
Drive, or a canned food donation for the food pantry.
Bodacious Babes Kat Murphy and Peg Johnson will sing up a storm,
performing many of your Christmas favorites. Both of the Babes have
won musical awards. Peg is a four time winner of the NHCMA
Traditional Country Entertainer of the Year and winner of the
Traditional Female Gospel Entertainer of the Year. Babe Kat Murphy
has been named the NHCMA Traditional Gospel Vocalist of the Year and
Traditional Gospel Entertainer of the Year. She is also an NACMAI
National Gospel Entertainer of the year. These two ladies have great
vocal credentials and will sing their hearts out for you. Mark your
calendars now for December 6 and don’t miss this show!
Tops News
Submitted by Terrie Azotea
Well, we sure have been busy getting settled into our new meeting
place. We now are at the Berakah on Fairview Rd. in Pittsfield. The
area is really nice and we are very comfortable there.
This past week there was a total weight loss of 23.2 pounds and with
that I say KUDOS to everyone. Our Best Loser of the week was Stuart
and our Kops was Barbara and we still have two Miss Angels Suzie and
Irene. Great Job to the runners up.
We talked about our Thanksgiving raffle and our upcoming Christmas
party. We had a guest speaker with us and she spoke of a lot of
different things that we could change to help us lose the weight.
First thing was about being realistic about life and we are all
different from each other.We need to like ourselves and if we don’t,
we need to really look in the mirror and find a way to like
ourselves. When given a compliment, we need to smile and say thank
you and not find the fault in it.
Real people take the first steps, real people get moving and to lose
weight, real people shut their mouths and move their feet. It was
also said that if it’s not fun, we won’t stick with it. So, all in
all it was a real eye-opener on some things and really life is hard
and it’s what we do with it and what we do with ourselves as a
person is how we are going to make it.
So, I say this week when you are eating the Thanksgiving dinner
enjoy and think before you eat and ask yourself, “Do I really need
that?”
Well, I am thankful for my Tops friends and our weekly meetings. If
anyone would like to see what we are all about, come on out on
Tuesday nights at the Berakah on Fairview Rd. in Pittsfield. We meet
at 5:30 for weigh-in and at 6:30 for our meeting. Any questions,
please call Stuart Pike at 857-4842 or Pat Smith at 435-5333. We
welcome new faces and I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and
don’t let Tom the Turkey tell you to eat more. See you all lighter
next week!
Statement From Secretary Shinseki On The Disabilities Treaty
Submitted By Merrill Vaughan, Past Commander
American Legion Peterson-Cram Post 75
Pittsfield
Ratification of the Disabilities Treaty is important to our Nation’s
5.5 million disabled Veterans.
Ratification of the Disabilities Treaty is not about changing
America. It’s about helping the rest of the world raise their
accessibility standards to the gold standard the United States has
set through our ADA. Ratification will help reinforce America’s
global leadership role and reputation, putting us in the strongest
position to advance disability rights worldwide.
By joining the treaty, we will be helping the 5.5 million Veterans
with disabilities and the 50 million Americans with disabilities
study and work with dignity and pursue greater opportunity abroad
with the same access they enjoy at home.
I served for roughly 10 years in Europe as a disabled Soldier
following my tours in Vietnam. During that time, I had to learn to
walk and run again. I had to convince the Army that I could
continue to serve, and learn to adjust to a new reality. I recall
the absence of aids for the disabled in many places where I
served—ramps, lifts, automatic door openers, among other devices
that are commonly available in this country.
Our disabled Veterans and service members have put their trust in
our country. Now, it’s time for our country to put its trust in
them. It’s time to ratify the Disabilities Treaty.
I urge the Senate to approve the Treaty this year.
New National Report Shows A 24 Percent Reduction In Homelessness
Among Veterans
Submitted By Merrill Vaughan, Past Commander
American Legion Peterson-Cram Post 75
Pittsfield
The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and
Urban Development today announced that a new national report shows a
24 percent reduction in homelessness among Veterans since 2010.
The report also showed an 8 percent reduction between January 2012
and January 2013. The decline keeps the Obama administration on
track to meet the goal of ending Veterans’ homelessness in 2015.
“We are on the right track in the fight to end homelessness among
Veterans. While this trend is encouraging news, we know that there
is more work to do,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki. “As President Obama said, we’re not going to rest until
every Veteran who has fought for America has a home in America. The
results in the latest report are a credit to the effort given by our
dedicated staff, and our federal, state, and community partners who
are committed to ending Veterans’ homelessness.”
“We’re making real and significant progress to reduce homelessness
in this country and now is not the time to retreat from doing what
we know works,” said U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary
Shaun Donovan. “If we’re going to end homelessness as we know it,
we need a continued bipartisan commitment from Congress to break the
cycle trapping our most vulnerable citizens, especially our
Veterans, between living in a shelter or a life on the streets. I
understand these are tough budget times but these are proven
strategies that are making a real difference. We simply can’t
balance our budget on the backs of those living on the margins.”
The 2013 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness, prepared by HUD,
estimates there were 57,849 homeless Veterans on a single night in
January in the United States, an 8 percent decline since 2012 and a
24 percent decline since 2010.
VA has made ending Veterans’ homelessness by the end of 2015 a top
priority, undertaking an unprecedented campaign to dramatically
increase awareness of VA services for homeless Veterans and Veterans
at risk of becoming homeless. While the number of homeless people
in the United States dropped by 4 percent since 2012, according to
the 2013 report, Veterans’ homelessness has shown a more robust
decline. During a period of prolonged economic recovery, the Obama
Administration has been able to reduce the number of homeless
Veterans by 24 percent, breaking previous patterns of increased
homelessness during difficult economies.
Earlier this year, HUD and VA also announced the award of nearly $70
million of HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing grants to further
assist in addressing the issue of Veterans’ homelessness. The
program combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and
clinical services provided by VA. Since 2008, a total of 58,140
vouchers have been awarded and 43,371 formerly homeless Veterans are
currently in homes of their own because of the joint HUD-VA program.
One of the tools VA uses in its systematic approach to prevent and
end Veterans’ homelessness is the Supportive Services for Veteran
Families grant program. In July, VA announced the award of nearly
$300 million in grants to 319 community agencies to help
approximately 120,000 homeless and at-risk Veterans and their
families.
More recently, VA has announced $8.8 million in grants for 164
projects to acquire vans for homeless providers and to rehabilitate
housing, plus $4.9 million in grants for 25 community-based projects
to enhance services for Veterans.
The grants promote housing stability among homeless and at-risk
Veterans and their families. The grants can have an immediate
impact, helping lift Veterans out of homelessness or providing aid
in emergencies that put Veterans and their families at risk of
homelessness.
More information about VA’s homeless programs is
available at
www.va.gov/homeless. Details about the
Supportive Services for Veteran Families program are online at
www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.
Letter To The Editor
What’s happening to New Hampshire? Where have the rugged
individualistic, freedom-loving, independent people of this still
great state gone?
I have to say one thing, this state isn’t going downhill because of
the Free Staters. It saddens me to hear worn our rhetoric being used
against Free Staters and the Tea Party. They are coming here to help
out the cause to preserve what NH is all about. That’s why they
chose to come here, not to change it. We have always been a beacon
of liberty in New England and I’m so proud of that. We have always
ranked in the top 5 out of all the states, sometimes #1 as the most
free.
I have had the opportunity to meet a few of these people and they
are some of the nicest around. I’m also blessed to have helped elect
the McGuires to the legislature. I may not agree 100% of the time,
but I appreciate the honest hard work they do in the State House
maintaining some sanity. It’s also nice to see representatives
regularly keeping us updated about what’s going on in Concord. If
we’re going to talk about propaganda, I suggest we take a look at
what’s coming out of Washington from McCain, Obama, Reid, Graham and
list could go on.
All I can say is Welcome to New Hampshire Free Staters, we need all
the help we can get!
Respectfully, 23 year Pittsfield Native,
Willie Matras
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