Purpose of the project: bvsj proposes to operate an hvrp (CATEGORY1) by providing employment, training, housing, and a tender listening ear

Black Veterans For Social Justice Inc. received a $500,000 Project Grant award dated July 1, 2025, under the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (CFDA 17.805), administered by the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service. The three-year grant (performance period through June 30, 2028) supports comprehensive employment and supportive services for over 2,300 homeless and at-risk veterans in New York City, including women and veterans with incarceration histories. Core services include career counseling, employment training, job placement assistance, and case management designed to connect participants with sustainable employment opportunities through partnerships with American Job Centers, private employers, and New York City Council-sponsored employment vendors.

The grant funds integrated wraparound supportive services coordinated with complementary federal, state, and local programs to promote housing stability and economic self-sufficiency. These services include social services and housing assistance provided through two HUD-sponsored New York Continuum of Care programs and the Department of Veterans Affairs' Social Services for Veteran Families program. By combining employment support with housing resources and social services, the program aims to enable homeless and at-risk veterans to transition to independent living and build long-term resilience.

There are over 2300 different homeless and at-risk veterans in new york city to include men, women, and veterans with incarceration histories. Most are unemployed and live precariously. Bvsj will seek client employment, and work with a broad list of employers to include american job centers, internal hires, new york city council-sponsored employment vendors, and private companies. Training will increase employment opportunities and starting salary levels. Social services and housing opportunities will be complemented by two bvsj HUD- sponsored NY-600 continuum of care programs and the VA S ssvf program. Our objective is to address these issues to create independent living and thereby resilience. Activities to be funded by the grant:there is a concerted effort nationwide to address veteran homelessness via several federal agencies using resources from all of them channeled directly through non-profit agencies like bvsj and the new york city department of homeless services. The national efforts include the US department of housing and urban development that provides housing resources and partners with cities as part of its mayor S challenge to end veteran homelessness. The department of labor provides funding to address homeless veteran employment challenges through agencies like bvsj. The VA S social services for veteran families program provides supportive services grants awarded to selected private non-profit organizations to assist very low-income veteran families residing in or transitioning to move to permanent housing. Grantees provide a range of supportive services to eligible veteran families that are designed to promote housing stability. At the state level, bvsj is funded by the new york state department of veteran services to transition incarcerated veterans. At the local level, bvsj is funded by the city council to provide counseling assistance to veterans and facilitate job placement. Populations served: most will be single men, but special populations may include female veterans, veterans with families, the episodically homeless, and veterans with incarceration histories. Case management techniques are applied to each veteran. Results are promulgated quarterly.intended beneficiaries of the project: homeless and at-risk veterans to include female veterans, veterans with families, the episodically homeless, and veterans with incarceration histories.outcomes of the project:program staff will enroll 140 veteran clients, place 100 into employment (72% placement rate at a cost of $4950.50 per placement) with a 60% enrolled training rate, a first year average wage of $25.95 per hour, median quarterly earnings second quarter after exit of $10,794, maintain a 55% employment rate at the second quarter after exit, and a 45% employment rate fourth quarter after exit. Key partnerships:seven different american job centers in manhattan, the bronx and westchester, the VA S supportive services for veteran families program, the VA S SGT. FOX suicide prevention program, VA S HUD-vash, VA S veteran justice officer, one other bvsj congressionally supported hvrp serving incarcerated veterans, HUD-COC rental assistance program, the NYS department of labor for dvop S and employment referrals, the new york state office of temporary disability and assistance for rental assistance, the new york city council jobs to build on program for employment and training opportunities, and private employers.recipient of other funding: we operate 1000 beds for the homeless. While most homeless vets come from two dedicated veteran shelters, a small number in our shelters are also veterans. Bvsj operates a congressionally approved ivtp for 50 enrolled formerly incarcerated veterans and a veteran suicide prevention program from the US department of veterans affairs.