Tag: veterans

Cold & Forgotten: How We Can Help the Homeless

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As we begin to enter […] fall, [charitable] organizations like churches, the Salvation Army, the United Way and the American Red Cross are beginning [to finalize] their plans to help the homeless in their communities [through the winter]. This is a tradition that Americans have repeated for decades.

Most cities and government agencies are making a real effort to help the homeless, but they can’t keep up with the demand. Ironically, many cities have passed laws banning sleeping in parks and other public places, [s]o when a town does not have enough beds for the homeless, where can they sleep?

Boise, Idaho, [officials] created such a ban on sleeping in public places. A case was brought against the city by homeless plaintiffs who were convicted under the Boise ordinances that criminalize sleeping or camping in public. According to The Idaho Statesman, the U.S. Department of Justice jumped into the suit and sided with the plaintiffs by arguing that criminalizing public sleeping where there is insufficient shelter space unconstitutionally punishes them for being homeless. The government cites the Eighth Amendment, which disallows cruel and unusual punishments to our citizens. In its filing, the Justice Department said, “[E]nforcing these ordinances is poor public policy, because pushing homeless individuals into the criminal justice system does nothing to break the cycle of poverty or prevent homelessness in the future.”

Boise is not alone. […] When there are 578,424 homeless people on any given night this year (401,501 in shelters and 177,373 sleep unsheltered), of which 49,933 are veterans, cities simply can’t keep up. For veterans, stepping back onto American soil isn’t the end of the battle—it’s the beginning of another battle for stability in housing, finances, health and support systems that too easily ends in homelessness. In June, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched the Homeless Veteran Community Employment Services program, which aims to help veterans exiting homelessness and those on the brink of homelessness gain stability and long-term employment. Let’s hope it takes off quickly.

We know that homelessness cannot be solved by the government alone; [t]his is a major problem that affects all of our communities. There are many ways the average citizen can help, [whether] by donating or volunteering. The Covenant House opens up its doors to help homeless youth. Stand up for Kids helps homeless street kids. Support Homeless Veterans works to get these forgotten heroes off the streets. […]

With the limitless potential that the homeless have to make a lasting positive contribution to our communities, we cheat not only them but ourselves by not allocating dollars, either in the taxes we collect or the disposable income we can spare, to helping them. If we ever found ourselves in that situation, wouldn’t we want someone to do the same for us? Together, we can work to get the homeless back on their feet.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/cold-and-forgotten-how-we_b_8050064.html

Death of Honor

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This month is full of celebrations honoring our military. May 1 is Loyalty Day, which started in the 1920s to counter the rise of communism. […] May 8 is V-E Day (Victory-in-Europe Day), which commemorates the end of fighting in Europe during World War II. Military Spouse Day is also on May 8 this year, and it celebrates the silent heroes of our military. Armed Forces Day, created to honor all branches of the service, is on May 16. Lastly, Memorial Day is on May 25, and it’s dedicated to the military men and women who gave their lives for our country.

According to the National World War II Museum, […] World War II was the deadliest military conflict in history, [with 15 million battlefield deaths]. Add to this the 45 million civilian deaths and 60 million people who were lost in this war, and you have the current combined population of California and New York.

In World War I, according to PBS, there were 10 million battlefield deaths and 7 million civilian deaths. In this war, the U.S. mobilized 4.3 million people and lost 126,000. The last surviving American veteran of World War I, Frank Buckles, died at the age of 110 on Feb. 27, 2011.

According to the National Archives, 9 million military personnel served during the Vietnam War, and we lost 58,156 Americans. More recently, 650,000 served in the Gulf War from August 1990 to July 1991. Since 2001, between the [wars in] Afghanistan and Iraq, over 2.5 million Americans were deployed, and 6,800 […] died.

Currently, according to The Washington Post, there are 22 million veterans in the United States. Out of these, 92% have at least a high school diploma, and 26% have a bachelor’s degree. Veterans own 9% of all U.S. businesses and employ 5.8 million people.

In theory, Americans have not forgotten about these brave heroes. Since last year, the government has been working on cleaning up the Veterans Affairs’ (VA) hospitals that veterans depend on for help. The VA is working on helping homeless veterans, according to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, [with the number of veterans spending their nights on the street falling from] 57,849 [one year ago] to 49,933 [today]. [Still], the underlying causes of homelessness—shortage of affordable housing, lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse—remain.

In addition to veteran homelessness, 22 veterans take their own lives every day. Reasons for this could be the difficulties of readjusting to civilian life, lack of civilian work experience and combat injuries. There’s also the added pressure that 90% of military spouses are underemployed and earn 38% less than their civilian counterparts while also being 30% more likely to be unemployed.

Poorly performing VA hospitals, homeless veterans on the streets and veterans who do not want to live—how did we let this happen to the heroes who keep us the freest country [in the world]? Most of our citizens join the military because of their pride for this country. No matter the generation or the war, America’s military has always been determined, tough and proud to do their duty. These fighters are sustained by not only the bonds shared within their units, but [by] the love and strength they draw from those at home—their families, spouses, children, parents and communities. It is time for our communities to step up and help veterans in need.

Besides celebrating our military with these special days in May, we must all do more than just wave the American flag or take the day off and watch the parade. We have to help and embrace our veterans so the transition from military life to civilian life is not as painful. If you own a business, you can make a real effort to hire veterans, [o]r, if you’re not an employer, you can still help by donating to Hire Heroes, a nonprofit dedicated to creating job opportunities for veterans and their spouses. Another great [way] to donate [is through the Welcome Back Veterans initiative], which was created to help returning veterans. One of my personal favorites is Soldiers’ Angels, and you can donate directly on their site.

In 1945, we had 12 million active military personnel, and today, we have 1.4 million (not including active reservists). They are our friends, family and the bravest in our communities. These are men and women who sacrificed everything for us, [so] shouldn’t we do the same for them? If we take care of our service members today, it can only strengthen our military for tomorrow.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/death-of-honor_b_7073908.html

The Homeless Need More Than Blankets

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In this land of plenty and this land of opportunity, [more than] 600,000 Americans experience homelessness on any given night, [including] 138,000 […] under the age of 18. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the national rate of homeless persons is 19 [in every] 10,000 people, with the highest [rate] in Washington, D.C., [at] 106 [for every 10,000]. Veterans are homeless at the rate of 27 for every 10,000, with [our nation’s capital] again [rating] the highest at 156.

[L]ack of affordable housing is considered the primary cause of homelessness. The government agency HUD […] has seen its budget slashed by over 50%, resulting in the loss of 10,000 units each year of subsidized low-income housing. Thirteen percent of the nation’s low-income housing has been lost since 2001. This country needs 7 million more affordable apartments for low-income families, but, because we don’t have enough, 11 million families spend over half of their monthly income on rent. Add on top of this the over 5 million homes that have been foreclosed on since 2008, and it easy to understand why this country is where it is with our [inability] to help the homeless.

Homeless children, as defined by the federal “No Child Left Behind” program, include not just those living in shelters or transitional housing, but also those sharing housing [with others] due to economic hardships; living in cars, parks, bus or train stations; or awaiting foster care placement. Using this definition, the National Center for Homeless Education reported in September 2014 [that there are] 1,258,182 homeless children in [our country’s] public school [system], an 8% jump from 2013. Youth homelessness has increased 72% in the last seven years, [and] many of these youths exchange sex for food, clothing, shelter and other basic needs. Seventy-five percent of [our nation’s] homeless youth have either dropped out or will drop out of school.

As a caring society, what can we do about this?

Sports Illustrated (SI) just published a fascinating article on how more than 100,000 students on school teams are homeless. In the Mobile, Ala., county school system, 27.6% of homeless students competed for middle- and high-school teams. In Kansas City, Kan., 20% of homeless students competed. SI concludes that athletic programs are keeping homeless athletes away from outside factors that derail their chances for a successful future. Coaches often become mentors and surrogate parents, and pregame and post-game meals provide essential nourishment, while kids benefit from the exercise and structure in sports. […]

Homeless veterans are another story. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans reports that 1.4 million veterans are considered at risk for homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks and substandard housing. [Approximately] 49,933 of these veterans are homeless on any given night. America’s homeless veterans served in World War II, the Korean War, [the] Cold War, [the] Vietnam War, [the] Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq. Half of our current homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. [Eight] percent are female, while 40% are African-American or Hispanic.

The Washington Post reported our new Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary, Bob McDonald, […] announced an additional $207 million in funding for rapid-assistance grants to help 70,000 veterans keep their homes or return to permanent housing. [Another] $62 million will be dedicated to a rental-assistance program that would bring more than 9,000 chronically homeless veterans off the streets. [In total], the VA has committed more than $1 billion in 2014 to strengthen programs that prevent and end homelessness among veterans. They have changed their approach to a “housing-first strategy” where they are focusing on providing veterans a place to live first and then help[ing] them with drug abuse, job searches and mental health. Previously, the VA insisted on health services first before offering housing.

Homelessness cannot be solved by the government alone, especially in times of government gridlock and lack of funds. This is a major problem that affects all of us, whether it involves the classmates of our kids or the war hero who was dedicated to protecting our country. There are many ways the average citizen can help by donating or volunteering. The Covenant House opens up its doors to help homeless youth. Stand Up For Kids helps homeless street kids. Move for Hunger helps collect food for those in need. Support Homeless Veterans works to get these forgotten heroes off the streets. […]

We all suffer when we allow our neighbors to go homeless, even for just one night. Our society suffers when we deny any of our children a good night’s sleep and a nourishing meal. With the limitless potential that many homeless youth have to make a lasting positive contribution to our communities, whether it is in science, humanities or sports, we cheat not only them but ourselves by not allocating dollars, either in the taxes we collect or the disposable income we can spare. Every child, veteran or family in need should have a shot at attaining our American dream, and, with a little help from all of us, America can help those 600,000 a night who suffer. This is one issue that is not political.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/the-homeless-need-more-th_b_6064668.html

May No Soldier Go Unloved

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This is the slogan used by the nonprofit, volunteer-led organization Soldiers Angels, [which assists] families of veterans and veterans deployed, wounded and moving back into society. These volunteers are mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters of soldiers, as well as regular Americans who know the sacrifices our military makes to keep all of us safe.

For most Americans, we really are not affected by the sacrifices our military makes for their country and, [just] as important, the sacrifices their families make. Sure, when we see them in uniform at the airport, we feel proud, but then the moment passes as we move on with our lives.

Military.com reported earlier this month that 12.4% of Iraq and Afghanistan vets are unemployed, 3% higher than the national average. CBS MoneyWatch.com reported that vets’ unemployment in Michigan is at 29.4%, in Indiana at 23.6% and in Minnesota at 22.9%.

Why is this not headlining news? I am pretty sure that America cares and should feel somewhat guilty that we are not supporting these heroes like we did in past generations.

In Congress, we are beginning to see some isolated compassion. Radio Iowa reported last week that Congressman Bruce Braley is calling for a new tax break for businesses that hire unemployed veterans. The Bremerton Washington Patriot also reported this month that Senator Patty Murray’s bill, the “Hiring Heroes Act,” is trying to smooth the transition process for veterans. [T]he Murphysboro American in Illinois [also recently] reported the honoring of two associates at the Illinois Department of Employment Security who excelled in providing job counseling, testing and placement assistance to unemployed veterans.

[T]hen we read [in] an article in The Huffington Post last week where California is cutting veterans’ courts from their budget. These specialized courts help veterans, so this can’t be good. Why, as a society, are we sending our veterans such mixed messages? As Soldiers Angels believes, “May no soldier go unloved.”

Both my father and father-in-law are WWII vets. Interestingly, both visited the VA hospital this month, and both commented to me how sincerely compassionate everyone at the hospital was—from the receptionist to the nurses to the doctors. I realize that when you are in your 80s, any compassion received from a stranger is amplified, but these proud, old vets truly appreciated how considerately and respectfully they were treated.

So why can’t we show this same thoughtfulness to the vets of this newest generation? Our businesses must show this generation our compassion and appreciation by employing them. Our government must help them transition back to civilians. We, as a nation, must embrace these vets like we embraced my father’s generation.

At DollarDays, we’ve worked with the great Soldiers Angels organization to develop a wishlist of products vets and their families can use. I encourage you to help out this volunteer organization. […]

As a nation, we celebrate Labor Day. As a nation, we celebrate Veterans Day. As a nation, we need to celebrate our veterans having productive jobs back in society. Only a strong moral commitment from both business and government can achieve this. All of us need to work towards this end, [a]nd our veterans need to know: we salute you!

Original article here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/veterans-unemployment_b_941822.html

DollarDays Joins Forces with Military Family Network to Help Soldiers’ Families, Returning Vets

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DollarDays announced today that the premier Internet-based product wholesaler to small businesses and local distributors has partnered with the Military Family Network, a marketing firm specializing in communications with the military community, to bring a multifaceted support program for service members and families in the United States, as well as for veterans returning home from the war in Iraq.

The program, “Operation DollarDays,” includes:

  • Sending two-dozen long-stem[med] yellow organic roses from Organic Bouquet, the world’s first online organic florist, to the families of U.S. soldiers serving overseas. Every time a DollarDays customer orders $900 worth of products from www.dollardays.com, DollarDays will send a bouquet to a military family on behalf of a deployed service member;
  • Providing a way for Americans to buy a dozen roses from Organic Bouquet for a deployed soldier to send to his family by visiting www.dollardays.com;
  • Providing free DollarDays distributorships—normally $199 a year—to any military family member or Iraqi war veteran; and
  • Three free months of SAT tutoring for any military family member through DollarDays’ sister company, Boston Test Prep, the leading online SAT test preparation company.

“DollarDays is so proud to support our troops and their families,” said Marc Joseph, CEO. “We know that our programs are a small contribution, especially when compared to the sacrifices of our soldiers and their families, but we wanted to find some new ways to say thank you, and so we developed Operation DollarDays.”

“DollarDays is one of our Military Family Neighbor of Choice Businesses,” said Megan Turak, Executive Vice President of The Military Family Network. “We are happy to help them support the troops and their families through our network, and we encourage all Americans to show they care by becoming involved with this program so that all deployed soldiers can send a free bouquet to their home-front hero. Holidays are the hardest times for families separated by deployment. This program helps to bring families closer together. Can you think of a better way to say ‘I care and thank you?'”

To find out more information about Operation DollarDays and its programs, visit www.eMilitary.org.

About DollarDays
Founded in 2001, DollarDays is the leading supplier of wholesale goods for nonprofits, businesses and betterment organizations. By sourcing affordable products, backed by exceptional service and meaningful community engagement, we strive to inspire and empower our customers to accomplish their missions to improve the lives of people around the world. Recognized as the City of Phoenix Mayor’s Office “2018 Product Exporter of the Year” and Internet Retailer Magazine’s “B2B E-commerce Marketer of the Year” for 2016 and 2017, DollarDays is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.dollardays.com.