United Way of Denton County has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance.
The funds will support a new Denton County Veteran Stability Program, beginning July 1, designed to provide financial assistance and supportive services for veterans and their families, according to a news release from UWDC.
“This will be a great resource for Veterans in our community,” said Paul Bastaich, the Denton County Veterans Service Officer. “Our Veteran Community Navigators look forward to collaborating with this program at the Denton County Veteran Center.”
The Veteran Community Navigator program was piloted in 2016 by United Way of Denton County and funded with a state grant to begin providing a more holistic approach to supporting Veterans and their families, according to UWDC. The VCN proved successful referring over 700 clients from inception to October 2018, when it officially began operation as part of the Denton County Veteran Service Office.
The grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance will build off the VCN program to identify and support vulnerable Veterans in crisis. An estimated 41,000 Veterans live in Denton County with approximately 2,000 living in poverty.
“We are excited to continue our collaborative work providing holistic support to Veterans with our community partners,” said Courtney Cross, Director of Mental Health and Housing for the United Way of Denton County. “This grant comes at a critical time because we know that when a community crisis hits, it unfortunately impacts the most vulnerable first and in the most dramatic ways.”
The Denton County Veteran Stability Program will partner with various nonprofits and government agencies serving Veterans and their families in the county. This grant will equip service providers with additional resources to provide emergency financial assistance to help navigate Veterans through crisis to stability.
This program is supported by a grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. The Fund for Veterans’ Assistance provides grants to organizations serving veterans and their families. Learn more at https://www.TVC.Texas.gov.
