Clear Path for Veterans New England

During the second year of the outreach and support services (devens) contract with the department of Veterans services Massachusetts. Clear Path for Veterans New England attended 83 outreach events, identifying and providing services to over 338 unique Veterans, including 18 unique neuro fit Veterans. The Veterans who received services accounted for 25,434 services, including 204 veteran peer engagements, 592 employment services, 62 veteran wellness activities including women's wellness retreats and women wellness weekends, 14,688 food pantry services, 782 veteran homeless housing services, 117 benefits counseling or advisement, as well as brazilian jui jitsu, tai chi, and pt101. On average providing 65 services a month. We also hosted 18 neuro fit unique participants with 316 neuro fit service deliveries

The statistics from the homeless veteran reintegration program (hvrp) in 2023 highlight both the impact and the ongoing challenges faced by Veterans reintegrating into the workforce: total Veterans assisted: 92; homeless Veterans assisted: 65 and Veterans at risk of homelessness assisted: 27. These numbers underscore the crucial role of programs like hvrp in addressing the complex needs of Veterans, particularly those facing homelessness or at risk of losing their housing. By assisting these individuals in seeking employment opportunities, hvrp is contributing significantly to their Path toward stability and self-sufficiency. Services provided under the hvrp (homeless Veterans #39; reintegration program) grant! Offering programs such as Clear paths culinary program, transportation assistance, financial training, resume writing, interview preparation, mental health and substance abuse referrals can significantly assist Veterans in their reintegration into civilian life.

We are one of 24 organizations participating in this national research effort through the wounded warrior service dog program to create a benchmark for training and placement of service dogs with military service members and Veterans. In 2023 we had 17 service dogs in training, we paired 9 service dogs and placed 3 dogs that did not meet certification as emotional support dogs.

We continue to grow and enhance our food pantry/empowerment center as the needs continue to increase. We are working more extensively with veteran and family homeless population as we gain continued recognition as a trusted service provider in the region. We provided over 27,000 services to Veterans and family members, the food pantry continues to be one of our largest programs. for example, we served 10,731 meals in 2023. Of note, our empowerment center is run by a veteran from north central ma who was recently homeless. Her ability to relate to the clients and provide hope is inspiring.