Veterans Haven, located in Winslow, N.J., a long-term transitional housing program for homeless veterans, is pleased to announce that they were selected by the Department of Housing and Urban Development for funding in the amount of $354,313 in the 2002 McKinney-Vento Act homeless assistance competition.

The facility is run under the auspices of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Its mission and goal is to give the homeless veteran a clean, safe environment so that he or she may reestablish themselves within the community.

According to Roberto Durante, superintendent of Veterans Haven, “We are very appreciative of the support Veterans Haven has received from HUD, not only with this award, but for the past awards as well. Without this award, Veterans Haven would not have been able to achieve much of the success we have in having our veterans leave this program a better person, head held high, proud of his or her accomplishments and working while at the same time becoming independent.”

The money received will be used to assist the program in maintaining the living areas for the residents, maintaining a fleet of vans used to transport residents to and from vocational, medical and educational appointments, food costs and overall maintenance of the facility. Additionally, this will help offset the salaries of employees and counselors.

Veterans Haven is a 53-bed facility that assists homeless veterans with their medical needs and legal requirements while at the same time work with them through their counselors, in learning the necessary living skills needed for independent living. The vocational counselors assist the veterans in all aspects of job searching – from group classes on interviewing techniques to resume writing to assistance in actual job hunts or with the veterans pursuit in furthering his or her education.

Veterans can stay in the Veterans Haven up to two years. Addiction counselors maintain a drug and alcohol free environment for all residents. Since the opening of Veterans Haven, 440 homeless veterans, men and women, have been enrolled in the program.