The New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans: A Unique Approach

It has been estimated that veterans comprise one third of the homeless population. To combat this national disgrace, many small veterans\u27 groups have been formed nationwide to serve their homeless brothers in such settings as shelters, group homes, and outreach centers. A Boston group, the Vietnam Veterans Workshop, based its New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans on the simple but powerful concept of veteran helping veteran. The shelter created a program to accomplish three important functions: providing the basic necessities of a bed, a meal, clothing, and a hot shower; rehabilitating the veterans by offering various activities to comfort and motivate each one to take positive steps in life; and finally, healing the veterans who still feel the effects of their war experiences by designing a program to address the needs of those suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder