Dear Veteran,
I want to thank you all for the hospitality I
received at your conventions. It was great to see
old friends and meet many of you for the first time.
Our Department is truly blessed to have the opportunity
to partner with your organizations and to
receive your unending support.
Through the FY 2007 funding of the Department
of Military and Veterans Affairs, Governor Corzine has shown us
that veterans are a top priority for his administration. We have been working
closely with the Governor's office in order to make his vision for veterans
in New Jersey a reality. We understand his goals and have been
working hard to execute his plans. Our close collaboration is paramount
to the success of our department in providing efficient and ever improving
service.
One of Governor Corzine's most important and largest objectives is
to help homeless veterans residing in New Jersey. In this regard, Governor
Corzine has allocated 2 million dollars for the expansion of our current
homeless veterans care program. It is our goal to leverage additional
dollars in federal grants from the Veterans Administration. This is just
one example of the collaboration between DMAVA and the Governor. For
more information on how we care for our homeless veterans, please refer
to enclosed articles on our future plans on expansion of our transitional
housing program, Veterans Haven.
Veterans Outreach remains the centerpiece of our Department's efforts.
We are continuing our mall visitation program and setting up kiosks
in order to find those veterans who may need assistance or those who
are unaware of the services our state offers. So far our mall visitation
program has been a resounding success, and we hope to continue and
expand our outreach in other ways as well.
Thanks again for your support and kindness during the convention
season. It was my pleasure to work with all of the previous state commanders
of your organizations, and I am looking forward to coordinating
with new ones.
Best Wishes,
Stephen G. Abel