HARRISBURG – State Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) today announced that the Union County Office of Veterans Affairs (joint application with Snyder County) has been awarded $40,000 from the Veterans’ Trust Fund (VTF) to support homeless veterans and provide emergency assistance.
Administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), the VTF is funded by generous Pennsylvanians who voluntarily make a $3 donation when applying for or renewing their driver’s license, photo ID or a motor vehicle registration.
“Pennsylvania’s veterans have served our nation with honor and distinction and it is important that we repay that service,” Sen. Yaw said. “The Veterans’ Trust Fund was created to do just that – drawing in dollars from private sources and combining them with new public means – to assist our veterans with food, shelter, job assistance and other important programs. I am pleased that this funding was awarded locally.”
Up to a total of $150,000 in grant funding was available for new, innovative, or expanded programs or services provided by County Directors of Veterans Affairs or the Pennsylvania Association of County Directors of Veterans Affairs. The two areas of emphasis for grantees in this category were veterans’ outreach and veterans’ courts.
The VTF grant also identified up to a total of $650,000 in funding available to Veteran Service Organizations with 501(c)(19) status and non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organizations with a mission of serving Pennsylvania veterans. Funding priorities for grants in this category were veterans’ programs focused on homelessness, behavioral health initiatives, veterans’ court initiatives or other programs addressing newly identified, unmet or emerging needs of veterans and their families.
One such charitable organization that serves the 23rd Senatorial District included the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Harrisburg (Dauphin County), which received $50,000 to support the MilitaryShare program.
Since the grant program began in 2013, a total of $3,732,860 has been awarded to organizations that serve Pennsylvania veterans.
For more state-related news and information, visit Senator Yaw’s website at www.SenatorGeneYaw.com or on Facebook and Twitter @SenatorGeneYaw.
CONTACT: Rita Zielonis, Chief of Staff
(717) 787-3280