Homeless food program expanded with a fleet of Chevy outreach vehicles, and help from a baseball legend, Vin Scully. 90% of homeless and home-bound veterans have no transportation to get groceries or make it to healthcare or social services appointments. It’s a one-two knockout punch for people whose lives are already on the ropes. To prevent catastrophic suffering for the most vulnerable veterans, they have launched a partnership with Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank. This creates a direct, and life-saving link between the food bank and homeless or home-bound veterans.
CAMARILLO, Calif., Nov. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Gold Coast Veterans Foundation (GCVF), the groundbreaking nonprofit that rescues and repairs the lives of homeless and high-risk veterans, is announcing the launch of a new program on Veterans Day, expanding a critical service for homeless veterans in the process. The Camarillo organization is both the first and last line of defense in the battle against veteran homelessness, with over 250 high-risk veteran rescues since 2020, as well as a full range of services provided for thousands of other low- and medium-risk Ventura County veterans.
Whether it’s a ‘shut-in’ veteran who’s unable to get groceries, a ‘street homeless’ veteran without money to buy food, or a young veteran family living in poverty, this four-way partnership will be there with open hearts and healthy food.
Inflation and other recent economic factors have worsened an already desperate situation for many veterans. “75% of homeless veterans that enter low-income housing and depend on government benefits as their income run out of food in the third week of every month, because their benefit funds ran out;” says GCVF’s Director Bob Harris, “and 90% of homeless and home-bound veterans have no transportation to get groceries or make it to healthcare or social services appointments. It’s a one-two knockout punch for people whose lives are already on the ropes.”
The organization had always accepted small donations of non-perishable food, providing them to homeless veterans on the street as part of their Mobile Veteran Outreach. Demand always exceeded supply, but now the gap between food prices and veterans’ benefit checks is exploding due to inflation. To prevent catastrophic suffering for the most vulnerable veterans, they have launched a partnership with Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank. This creates a direct, and life-saving link between the food bank and homeless or home-bound veterans.
GCVF had a small fleet of Chevy vehicles for street-level veteran rescue and transportation, as part of the Mobile Veteran Outreach program. The Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks recently donated the funds to purchase a new car, which was boosted by a $2,500 donation, and significant discount from Paradise Chevrolet, who also covered the cost of a patriotic “vehicle wrap”. GCVF’s Chevy fleet growth will allow the organization to increase its outreach, rescue, and food distribution by 10 fold. It also allows their staff and volunteers to transport more veterans with mobility issues to critical (often emergency) physical and/or mental health care services, court obligations, earned benefits and supportive services.
“This couldn’t have happened at a more perfect moment,” says GCVF’s Harris; “thanks to the partnership with Manna, and direct support from Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks and Paradise Chevrolet, we can save even more lives. Whether it’s a ‘shut-in’ veteran who’s unable to get groceries, a ‘street homeless’ veteran without money to buy food, or a young veteran family living in poverty, this four-way partnership will be there with open hearts and healthy food.”
Dodgers baseball legend Vin Scully came out of retirement in his 90’s to record PSA’s for GCVF’s veteran rescue program. Even after Scully’s passing in 2022, his familiar voice – and his message to care for our veterans – is still resonating with the public… and booming out across Cumulus Radio stations on Veterans Day 2023. “If you’re a veteran in need,” says Harris, “Vin Scully is up there watching over you, and making sure that America has your back!”
About Gold Coast Veterans Foundation – GCVF provides everything to prevent or eliminate suffering and homelessness for American veterans. GCVF has now rescued over 250 veterans and family members from homelessness. All services are provided free of charge. http://www.gcvf.org (805) 482-6550
Media Contact
Robert Harris, Gold Coast Veterans Foundation, 1 8054826550, Bob.Harris@gcvf.org, GCVF.org
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SOURCE Gold Coast Veterans Foundation
