Extra: Outreach teams reach homeless veterans

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has stepped up its outreach efforts to find homeless veterans eligible for benefits.

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Over the last three months, the V.A. regional office in St. Paul has used economic stimulus money to hire more than 100 new employees. V.A. officials say the new positions mean outreach workers out on the streets are getting more time to reach out to veterans in need. And the need is greater than ever according to the V.A., as more and more vets come home from Iraq and Afghanistan. This group of veterans is the quickest growing among the homeless or near homeless.

Recently, KARE 11 went along with a Department of Veterans Affairs outreach team, trying to connect with veterans to help get them off the streets

On a bone-chilling October morning, in downtown St. Paul, the shelters are crowded. At the Dorothy Day Center, Dewey Kamp and Stanley Walton are confident they'll find who they're looking for.

"Good morning everyone, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs benefits counselor is here." Stanley makes an announcement over the public address system as the Dorothy Day Center opens its doors.
 
Dewey and Stanley are Veterans Affairs outreach workers. Every day they visit Twin Cities shelters, hoping to catch the attention of men and women who once served their country. Many are veterans who were unable to adjust after military life, and now find themselves homeless.

"What they are seeing is whether it is in the workforce or their social life, the people they hang out with can't really relate to where they've been and what they've gone through," says Dewey. "As they are starting to wear out their welcome at home, maybe mom and dad can only put up with them for so long, they can only spend so many weeks on a buddy's couch before the newness of them coming back wears out. A lot of them have a hard time readjusting right away."
 
The idea of the outreach program is to get homeless veterans off the streets by giving them the benefits military service entitles them to, benefits like disability compensation, healthcare, pension and education.

"What did you do in the Navy?" Dewey asks Jimmie Caldwell.  "I did supply," answers Jimmie. The outreach team met Jimmie at Dorothy Day. He says he lives nearby.

"Kellogg Park on the bench," says Jimmie.

It's not clear how long Jimmie's been homeless, but he tells the team he once served in the Navy.

"I am an honorable discharge veteran," says Jimmie.

Jimmie says he's tried to get veterans benefits before, but was denied.

"What I'm going to do is research your file and see what you've applied for," Dewey tells Jimmie.

Dewey and Stanley will find out if Jimmie is entitled to benefits and then help him file a claim.

"Not all vets will qualify for benefits if nothing happened to them while they were on active duty," says Dewey.

While Jimmie served in the 1970s, the V.A. is seeing more and more younger veterans who are homeless. They meet 10 to 15 of them each week.

"I would not have guessed that the recent returning Afghanistan vets, Iraqi vets, early 20s would end up on the streets, but we are seeing that number increasing," says Dewey.

According to the National Coalition for Homeless Vets, veterans make up more than a quarter of the homeless population and in Minnesota on any given night, more than 600 vets are staying in shelters or on the street.

Despite growing homeless numbers, the V.A. outreach team has had many success stories. Dewey met Gary Williams at the Dorothy Day center more than a decade ago. Williams served with military police.

"Had my mother sign the papers when I was 16 years old," says Gary.

When he left the military, he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder.

"I started drinking real bad and using drugs and stuff like that," says Gary.

For 15 years, Gary fell into homelessness, often sleeping under bridges. He remembers spending time at the Listening House, another downtown shelter.

"We used to play chess right here and we would have a little homeless people chess tournament," says Gary as he walks around the community room.

Dewey helped Gary apply for veteran's benefits and today, Gary is living in St. Cloud, has a family and is getting married. The V.A. got him help for his addiction. Gary got himself off the streets.

"The V.A. can only present what they have for you, but you have to do the work," says Gary.

It is a message Stanley Walton hopes veterans like Frank Marzitelli hear. Frank served during peacetime, lost his job after 9-11 and hasn't had permanent work or a permanent home since. On this morning, Frank was hanging out at the Listening House, anticipating phone calls on possible jobs.

"To be honest with you, I've been so busy dealing with the economic issue that I haven't been looking for benefits or welfare or any kind of assistance," says Frank.

"The Department of Veterans Affairs wants to take care of veterans, even veterans who believe there is nothing wrong with them and don't want to be taken care of," Stanley tells Frank.

It can often be tough for the outreach workers to get through. These veterans once wrapped themselves in the dignity of the flag and, now, often struggle to survive. But Stanley and Dewey were once veterans themselves and consider it a duty to serve those who also served.

"We're proud of our veterans and we thank you for your servitude to your country and we owe it to veterans to give them the best service possible," says Stanley.

In the last three months, the outreach team has connected with 150 vets. They say they've helped 300 get off the streets.

For more information about outreach efforts and veterans' benefits:

Additional links:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans

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