SANTA BARBARA — Local nonprofit New Beginnings has received a $16,000 grant from the Disabled Veterans National Foundation that will be used to support the agency’s Supportive Services for Veterans Families program.
The program helps to prevent eviction and house homeless veterans and their families throughout Santa Barbara County, according to a news release.
“We are so very grateful to the foundation for their support of our community and for their commitment to serving our nation’s most vulnerable veterans,” Kristine Schwarz, Executive Director of New Beginnings, said in a statement.
Since 2013, New Beginnings has operated its SSVF Program, a program primarily funded through the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, throughout the county. The goal of the national SSVF Program is to end veteran homelessness throughout the country. Services provided include housing stability counseling, rental payment assistance, employment support, landlord engagement, benefit acquisition, and short-term case management.
Over the past eight years, New Beginnings has served over 1,000 veterans and their families and has provided close to $1,000,000 in temporary financial assistance to veterans to help them to maintain or move into housing.
“We are proud to support New Beginnings, as they continue to make a positive impact in veterans’ lives,” Joseph VanFonda, CEO of the Disabled Veterans National Foundation and retired U.S. Marine Sgt. Maj., said in a statement. “We would like to congratulate and thank them for their commitment to assisting the men and women who served in defense of our country.”
— Mitchell White
