Program areas at OSDTN
Osdtn administers a grant through the department of veterans affairs used to prevent or relieve veteran homelessness. The supportive services for veteran families (ssvf) grant program provides financial assistance to keep veterans secure or maintain rental housing through financial assistance including rent, deposits, and utilities. The program offers help finding affordable housing, navigating va-healthcare, and provides access to legal services for housing-related issues. All ssvf services are at no cost to the veteran. 233 veterans were helped through the ssvf program.
Transitional housing program (thp) - in 2022, osdtn provided transitional housing for 108 men and women veterans dealing with controlling issues who have asked for help. Thp has seven homes, two for women (7 beds) and five for men (35 beds). Veterans in the program receive professional case management on a 1:10 ratio, learning to reestablish a responsible lifestyle, contribute to the upkeep of a home in a neighborhood, create an individual budget and savings plan, live with other veterans in a supportive environment, gain employment and successful work habits, participate in community service and recreational activities, and develop healthy interpersonal relationships. Of the 108 veterans in the houses, 75% moved into permanent housing.
Veteran service center - in 2022, osdtn welcomed and supported veterans 12,523 times through the service center by assisting with personal identification needs, benefits counseling, legal issues, reliable mail service, military records retrieval, transportation, clothing, food, personal care items, and referrals to appropriate community agencies. As part of the service center, 205 veterans & surviving spouses received assistance with their va benefits. The career services department offered job placement assistance, computer training, resume development, training workshops, interview preparation, and budget counseling helping 171 veterans find or upgrade their employment. 3,755 hours of veteran assistance were delivered through our service centers.
Other program service accomplishments outreach services: Operation commissary - osdtn launched Operation commissary in 2021 to address food insecurity among veterans and their families. This program incorporates the basic functions of a food bank with innovative features to break through veteran-specific barriers including service reluctance, hidden poverty, and lack of awareness. Non-perishable food can be picked up at an osdtn location or at a sattelite location like a vfw or student veteran center, or can be delivered to the veteran's residence. 5,526 food bags were provided to 610 veterans. Call sign connect - call sign connect was launched in 2020 to formalize outreach, engagement, and connection among veterans. Csc provides events, meetups, activities, online communication, and partner engagement to give veterans a chance to become a part of a stronger, supportive community of peers. 830 veterans were reached with outreach services.