Coordinated assessment--also known as coordinated entry or coordinated intake--paves the way for more efficient homeless assistance systems by: • Helping people move through the system faster (by reducing the amount of time people spend moving from program to program before finding the right match); • Reducing new entries into homelessness (by consistently offering prevention and diversion resources upfront, reducing the number of people entering the system unnecessarily); and • Improving data collection and quality and providing accurate information on what kind of assistance consumers need. San Antonio /Bexar County’s coordinated entry system began in June 2016. Currently 7 coordinated assessment hubs are located throughout San Antonio/Bexar County.

Mon, Wed, Fri, 8:30am-11:00am

Coordinated assessment--also known as coordinated entry or coordinated intake--paves the way for more efficient homeless assistance systems by: • Helping people move through the system faster (by reducing the amount of time people spend moving from program to program before finding the right match); • Reducing new entries into homelessness (by consistently offering prevention and diversion resources upfront, reducing the number of people entering the system unnecessarily); and • Improving data collection and quality and providing accurate information on what kind of assistance consumers need. San Antonio /Bexar County’s coordinated entry system began in June 2016. Currently 7 coordinated assessment hubs are located throughout San Antonio/Bexar County.

Mon, Wed, Fri, 8:30am-11:00am

The purpose of the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP) is to provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force and to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans.

Veterans only

Free

The National Veterans Outreach Program (NVOP) has diversified its service components over the last 35 years to meet the priority needs of the community. In 1997, the NVOP built its first of three apartment complexes designed specifically to provide affordable housing for low-income elderly. Teaming with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the NVOP presently provides 170 apartments for the elderly. All projects are operated on a non-profit basis, and each apartment is eligible for housing assistance vouchers provided by HUD, making the apartments very affordable for eligible elderly residents. Support services include meals on wheels, food bank assistance, visiting nurses, seasonal social events, and many other amenities that provide a safe and comfortable setting for the independent-living residents. Residents must be elderly, fixed low-income recipients, and must be able to live independently. Currently, all three properties have a waiting list for apartments.

Elderly veterans and their families

NVOP’s Rapid Rehousing program, funded through a grant by the U.S. Department of HUD, reaches out to help homeless veterans with families find suitable and stable housing. This program offers rental assistance to homeless veterans and their families in San Antonio. We help them rapidly find stable housing with services including: • Rental Assistance • Suitable housing search • Support Services

Homeless veterans with families

Working with the homeless is one of the most challenging forms of social service an organization can undertake. Typically, the homeless have immediate needs for “stabilization”, followed by an extended period of case managed services to ameliorate the many profound issues common to this population. The American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program (NVOP) stepped forward and accepted the challenge on behalf of homeless veterans. The renovation of a former warehouse to create 80 transitional beds and 60 single room apartments (SRO’s) was a multi-million dollar “challenge” that was accomplished through the leadership of the NVOP, and the invaluable financial support of the U.S. Department of HUD, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the USAA Foundation, and the City of San Antonio. The American GI Forum NVOP also provided approximately one-third of the construction funding of the facility. The American GI Forum Residential Center for (Homeless) Veterans has become a recognized national model in serving veterans and other homeless.

Must be homeless and a veteran.

SSVF, funded through the Department of Veteran Affairs, is a program designed to assist very low-income veteran families in obtaining permanent housing. NVOP operates SSVF programs in both San Antonio and El Paso. Under the program, participants receive client-centered case management, individualized housing stability counseling, assistance with obtaining public benefits, referrals to community agencies, and other support services as needed.

Eligible clients include: • Veteran families currently homeless staying in their cars, parks, abandoned buildings, airports, camping grounds, etc. • Currently living in their home but at risk of eviction • Veteran families currently homeless staying in a shelter, transitional housing, hotel, or motel. • Veteran families who are currently homeless, but scheduled to move into permanent housing within 90 days

Offers job search and job development assistance to veterans.

Veterans

Employment placement, job readiness, support services, and personalized case management tailored to help participants become self-sufficient.

Must be homeless AND unemployed Must be at least 16 years of age and authorized to work Will need Texas ID and SSN

Free

M-F, 8:30am-5:30pm Walk-ins welcome

Veterans Enterprises of Texas (VETS) is a sub-corporation of the American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program, Inc. This non-profit corporation was founded with the specific dual purpose of creating jobs for disabled veterans, and to generate some limited financial support for the client service programs of the NVOP. VETS, founded in 1998, employs up to 50 disabled veterans and non-veterans annually at fair market wages. The manufacturing concern has developed in capacity and experience, and it now serves major government and private sector clients, such as the U.S. Postal Service and Callaway Golf, for the annual production of millions of corrugated products. VETS is a wholly-owned company of the American GI Forum NVOP. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this non-profit entity is approved as a charitable organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service. VETS is also a member organization of the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH), thus qualifying it for special government contract opportunities that require the employment of a minimum of 75% disabled individuals on the contract workforce. VETS plays an integral role in the continuum of care that the NVOP offers veterans. It is a job opportunity for disabled individuals; it is a supportive work environment for those reintegrating into the workforce after years of homelessness; and it is a community project that helped reinvigorate a once blighted neighborhood. VETS was selected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the National Blue Ribbon Award for innovation in an enterprise community. Interested customers are welcomed to inquire about corrugated fiberboard product needs by contacting VETS administration at (210) 223-4088.

Disabled veterans

Another project operated by the Veterans Enterprises of Texas is a specially designed center that provides work opportunities for veterans with disabilities that are not ready for mainstream employment. The VETS Work Center is a sheltered environment that promotes temporary work opportunities that will assist in the transformation of these veterans to reach their full potential and enter a mainstream work environment. “VETS” is a member organization of the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH), also known as Ability-One. “VETS” seeks out contract opportunities with government and private industry to create work that will be conducive to the hiring of a workforce of disabled veterans. The VETS Work Center’s primary work is “kitting,” where assembly of products or materials into a kit create an in-product. A great example is the current contract the Work Center is performing for the U.S. Army who awards retiring soldiers a beautiful commemorative box with a folded American flag, lapel pin, a DVD of information, and some auto decals for retirees. The VETS box manufacturing company (described above) produces the box, and the disabled veterans at the VETS Work Center fold the flags and assemble the pieces to create the commemorative retirement kit. The Center, which was specifically designed for this fulfillment work, has great warehouse space, robust electrical and pneumatic systems for contracts requiring repetitive “bench work” (i.e. electrical soldering, pneumatic hand tools, etc.). The Work Center is an important element in the continuum of care offered to veterans by the American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program, and it provides disabled veterans a means of recovery with pride and dignity. Interested customers are encouraged to contact the American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program for further information on the work of the VETS Work Center at (210) 223-4088. This non-profit entity is approved as a charitable organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service.

Disabled veterans