Creating sustainable employment opportunities and innovative permanent housing choices for homeless veterans.

Soldier On, a non-profit in Western Massachusetts, has created an expansive community partnership that offers veterans skills training, employment opportunities - including veteran-owned and managed businesses - community service opportunities, and banking and financial education services. Employment and training resources for veterans through Soldier On are linked to identified market needs and business opportunities in the regional economy of western Massachusetts.

Soldier On will break ground this year on an innovative housing opportunity: a 39-unit limited equity cooperative at its Pittsfield, MA site will provide homeownership and housing management opportunities for formerly homeless veterans. In order to achieve this goal, job training, stable employment, and financial education are the cornerstones that every veteran needs to have a chance to be successful.

Soldier On's employment and training programs have been carefully crafted to offer sustainable employment opportunities in the region. The Soldier On employment and training program is supported by the U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans Employment and Training Services (VETS) through a Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) grant.

Having identified a need in the community for well-trained and reliable construction contractors, Soldier On created the veteran owned and operated Berkshire Veterans Construction Company and partners with Berkshire Community College to prepare veterans for the construction supervisor's test. The Berkshire Veterans Construction Company performs work for organizations such as the Pittsfield Boys and Girls Club, Berkshire Housing and Development, Inc. and private citizens in the Berkshire County area.

A Culinary Training Program addresses employment opportunities in this tourist and arts destination area and also provides daily meals for the Berkshire Veterans Residence. Trainees receive a "serve safe" certificate, and learn how to design menus, order food, and cook and serve meals. The culinary program has catered special events in the area.

Soldier On has given veterans an entrepreneurship opportunity with its Veteran Vending business. Veterans gain the knowledge of what it takes to run a small business, including budgeting, ordering, accounting, and networking skills needed to work with vendors in the local community. The Veteran Vending business currently works with Coca-Cola Co. and J. Polep Distribution Services.

A therapeutic sheltered workshop - the Veterans Skills Development Center - is located at the Berkshire Veterans Residence and has been embraced by the region's large number of plastics companies - 26 plastics firms in the area employ a total of 2,500 people and manufacture $200 million of product every year - including Apex Mold, Lansen Mold, Injected Solutions, Pittsfield Plastics, and China Array who provide work to the Center to supplement their production capacity.

The Community Service Program offers other opportunities. For people in the community that can no longer take care of their homes, veterans assist them with clean up and organizing. In the Daniel Petithory Greenhouse, veterans grow flowers for organizations such as Pittsfield Beautiful, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Red Cross, and for families of local veterans. The veterans provide support services for staff at nearby shelters, along with providing custodial services to the Pittsfield Police Department.

Financial security and responsibility will help to ensure that veterans who live in permanent housing will remain stable and have the tools necessary to sustain a new life. Berkshire Bank offers every veteran a chance to open a bank account regardless of past banking history. Berkshire Bank then assigns every veteran a personal banker that works closely on financial planning for that veteran.

Formerly homeless veterans benefit from having a stable residence, access to medical and mental health care, a chance to secure gainful employment, and resources for banking and financial services - all of which help the veteran reintegrate into the labor force and the community. A new housing initiative will provide an opportunity for veterans to own and manage their own limited equity cooperative apartment.

Local employers benefit from having access to a trained and flexible work force. The Veteran Skills Development Center streamlines recruitment, record keeping, and health insurance for employers, as well as addressing other market issues. Employers may be eligible for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit which allows employers to recover a portion of the wages paid during the initial period of employment.

Soldier On reports these employment results in the last year:
- 147 veterans were enrolled into the employment/training program.
- 47 veterans gained employment and moved into permanent housing.
- 96 veterans were placed into full-time or part-time employment.
- 44 veterans were employed for at least 90 days and are still residing at Soldier On.
- 25 veterans were employed for 180 days or longer and are still residing at Soldier On.
- Average wage for employment is $9.55 per hour.

Soldier On is a private non-profit agency headquartered in Leeds, Massachusetts which provides shelter, support, and job training to veterans in need within an environment that offers integrity, dignity, and hope (formerly United Veterans of America). John F. Downing is the President and Chief Executive Officer, bringing to his leadership role over thirty-five years of service to the community of the addicted, incarcerated, mentally ill, and homeless individuals. Steven E. Como is Executive Vice President and Director of Government Relations of Soldier On, working with federal, state, and local agencies.

Soldier On operates a shelter with space for 120 homeless veterans in two buildings leased from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Leeds, Massachusetts. Former staff cottages on the site are leased from VA to house homeless women veterans and elderly frail male veterans. The Berkshire Veterans Residence in Pittsfield, MA houses 60 formerly homeless veterans in a transitional program and 10 formerly homeless veterans with disabilities in studio apartments, with resources from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. All Soldier On facilities are managed by formerly homeless veterans.

The average Soldier On client is 54, but the mean age is trending younger with the return of more veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Some 10% are age 65 or older. Approximately 88% of the veterans suffer mental health and/or substance abuse issues. More than 25% have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 5% are women. 28% are on parole or probation.

20 in 20, A Month of Innovations, continues tomorrow with a Special Issue focused on:

[Road]Map to the Future: Chicago's Homeless System Mapping Project Plans for Ending Homelessness

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