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NE Indiana's homeless veteran population triples
Updated: 1:51 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, 2013 | Posted: 1:51 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, 2013
FORT WAYNE, Ind. —
The
number of homeless veterans seeking help in northeastern Indiana has
tripled in the past year, according to a newly released survey that one
expert said isn't surprising and likely underestimates the plight of the
region's homeless veterans.
The survey released Thursday shows
that the number of homeless veterans in a nine-county area of Indiana's
northeastern corner grew from 32 last year to 96 this year, said United
Way of Allen County spokeswoman Molly Link.
Link said it's unclear
what might have caused the big increase in those counties, which are:
Allen, Adams, DeKalb, LaGrange, Huntington, Noble, Steuben, Wells and
Whitley.
"We are not sure if there are more homeless veterans or
if they are just more willing to ask for assistance since we now have
shelters specifically for veterans," Link told The Journal Gazette
(http://bit.ly/1ewYf1z ).
But the leader of an Indianapolis-based
group that serves more than 7,700 homeless veterans in 15 states every
year said he's not surprised by the numbers.
Timothy Campbell of
Volunteers of America in Indianapolis said the latest statistics suggest
there are about 800 homeless veterans across Indiana on any given
night. But he thinks the actual number of homeless veterans is much
higher.
He said the numbers do not include the veterans who
staying at a friend's or relative's home because they have no home of
their own.
Campbell said Indiana has a disproportionately high
number of homeless veterans because it has a high incidence of residents
who volunteer to serve in the military.
"We are fourth in the
nation with the highest percentage of population that serves in the
military," he said. "It's a tradition that is strong in Indiana."
The
sluggish economy and more veterans returning home with stress-related
mental and physical issues only increases the number of veterans who end
up homeless, he said.
"It can be hard for them to find a job, and add to that the stress of coming home with more challenges," Campbell said.
Related:
RI gets $210k to help homeless veterans
Houseless Veteran, Michael Boatwright wakes from coma speaking only Swedish
Lest we not forget!
