Mayor Vincent C. Gray Announces Furniture Donation Program for Veterans and Families Transitioning To Permanent Housing
Mayor Vincent C. Gray Announces Furniture Donation Program for Veterans and Families Transitioning To Permanent Housing
WASHINGTON, DC – July 27, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Vincent C. Gray and D.C. Office of Veterans Affairs (OVA) Director Matt Cary today announced a furniture-donation program for homeless veterans and their families who live in the District.
“One of my goals as Mayor is to end homelessness for veterans and their families in all wards of the city,” Mayor Gray said. “This program is one way we can lend a hand up to those who have served our country.”
Thanks to a $75,000 donation of bed frames, box springs, mattresses, refrigerators, microwaves, chests-of-drawers, chairs, tables and computers from Fort McNair to the National Capitol Veterans Coalition which, in turn, donated the items to OVA, the District will be able to assist homeless veterans and family members moving into transitional housing. A similar donation valued at $150,000 from Fort Myer is expected in early August. The National Capitol Veterans Coalition will administer the program, with oversight and assistance from OVA.
“This program will allow homeless veterans to concentrate on receiving health care, supportive services, education and job placement without having to worry about acquiring furniture for the housing units into which they are moving,” said Cary. “As soon as the needs of our homeless veterans and their families are met, we will then be able to expand the program to other DC veterans and their families.”
OVA entered into an annual lease with the DC Department of Real Estate Services (DRES) to store the furniture at the city’s Oak Hill Storage Facility. DRES and several other District agencies – including the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, the Office of Grants and Partnerships, the Office of the Attorney General, the General Counsel to the Mayor, the Office of Community Affairs and the Department of Public Works – collaborated to collect, transfer and store the initial donation.
