Welcome to the Inaugural Edition of the SMVF newsletter! Going forward, we will be providing listings of resources and events important to the Staten Island community of Veterans and Active-Duty Service Members. Beginning in April, the Newsletter will be published on a monthly basis. If you know of someone who is interested in receiving this newsletter, they can sign up at statenislandpps.org/veterans.

Fair Start: Improving Health for Veterans and Active Military



The SMVF, SIPPS and Columbia University School of Public Health are collaborating to recruit for a program to improve access to healthy food and health for Staten Island Veterans and Service Members. Healthy food and other services will be offered on a weekly basis at the Cespino-Russo American Legion Post 1544. Please see attached flyer with description and contact information. You can also reach out to Mike Matthews at (917) 613-2645 for any questions.

Volunteer Opportunities

There are many opportunities on Staten Island to serve Veterans, Military Members and their Families. Please see flyer below for a listing of some of these opportunities.

Treatment Study for Justice Involved Veterans

The New York MIRCC is recruiting for a VA-approved clinical trial study of veterans involved with the criminal justice system. The VA has approved admission to the program regardless of discharge status and there is a telehealth option offered.

Eligible Veterans can receive up to $2,000 each to help cover their emergency housing expenses.

New York State Department of Veterans’ Services announced the launch of a Veterans Emergency Housing Assistance Fund, designed to assist New York State’s Veterans who are confronting emergency housing needs and lacking the funds to cover these immediate costs, thus placing them at significant risk for homelessness. Eligible Veterans will be able to receive up to $2,000 apiece to cover their emergency housing expenses.

New York State’s Department of Veterans’ Services is ready to receive and process applications immediately from Veterans whose housing needs may include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Emergency financial assistance to a Veteran whose home was badly damaged in a fire or natural disaster;
• Renovating a Veteran’s home that is no longer accessible due to the onset or worsening of a disability;  
• Gaining temporary shelter when a Veteran suddenly loses access to their home or a Veteran’s home becomes no longer safely habitable;
• Replacing or repairing an essential home appliance that has been destroyed or severely damaged (e.g., furnace, water heater, etc.);
• Covering rent, utilities, or property tax payment that a Veteran missed due to illness or emergency;
• Any other payment that the Commissioner determines to fall within the purview of the program.

To qualify for these emergency funds, an applicant must be a Veteran living in New York State and facing an immediate housing hardship. An applicant must also have a personal net worth equal to or below the net worth limit established by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to assess eligibility for non-service-connected pension.

Application

Applicants will be contacted by the Department of Veterans’ Services for a review of their application within two business days after submission.

Applications can be emailed to housing@veterans.ny.gov or sent via mail:

ATTN: Veterans Emergency Housing Program

New York State Department of Veterans’ Services 

2 Empire State Plaza, Floor 17, 

Albany, N.Y. 12223

Learn more here.