VA to award $525,000 in grants to improve transitional housing facilities in Gaylord, Michigan
PRESS RELEASE
March 25, 2022
Gaylord , MI — The National Homeless Program Office will award one grant to a Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan, totaling approximately $525,000 under the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program.
The new grants support capital improvements to existing GPD transitional housing facilities and help vulnerable Veterans achieve residential stability, improve their skill levels, increase their income, and obtain greater self-determination.
“The goal of this transitional housing program is to prepare Veterans for permanent housing,” stated Carly Huffman, Aleda E. Lutz VAMC’s Homeless Program Manager. “The improvements made under this grant will not only enhance the housing environment for Veterans, but also improve overall service delivery. This will have a positive impact on Veteran success while independently maintaining permanent housing. This grant is another step forward in effectively ending Veteran homelessness in this community.”
The GPD program awards funding to community organizations who provide transitional housing with supportive services for Veterans experiencing homelessness, as they transition back to permanent housing. The improvements must result in less congregate and more individual unit-style housing, thereby improving personal safety and reducing risks associated with close-quarters living for Veterans. The program has provided community-based transitional housing with supportive services for Veterans since 1994.
The grant period begins May 1, 2022 and funding is authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Information about the GPD program and a list of grantees is available at https://www.va.gov/homeless/gpd.asp.
The Aleda E. Lutz VAMC in Saginaw, Michigan operates an 81-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation Community Living Center. It provides care to over 38,263 Veterans in a 35-county geographic area, from mid-Michigan to the Mackinac Bridge. Veterans also receive care at one of our nine VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics located throughout Michigan. More information about this VA can be found at VA Saginaw Health Care | Veterans Affairs.