Vets Served Their Country & Now Community Helps Vets
Veteran’s Day is on November 11, but veterans are featured all month on Manchester Review in November. There are over 22 million vets in the US; 235,000 in CT and over 4000 in Manchester. Many of them, especially those recently home from Iraq and Afghanistan, face some difficult hurdles after serving their country:
Unemployment: Veteran unemployment is nearly twice the national average.
PTSD: 1 in 3 returning from Iraq, Afghanistan have PTSD
Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Housing:1/3 of the homeless are vets
Backlog for benefits qualification = 1.2 million
Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Although many veterans find a long wait for services from the Veterans Administration, The Community Renewal Team (CRT) has helped hundreds in the last few years: Tina Ortiz, Director of Housing and Veteran Services, and Gus Keach-Longo, VP Senior Services, from CRT appear on Manchester Review in November to discuss veteran problems and CRT programs :Veterans Crossing, Support Services for Veterans and Families and the Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program. A new program “Assisted Living for Vets” is on the horizon.
This is the same outfit that provides over 25,000 meals annually for Manchester Seniors.
“Manchester Review: Veteran Services” can be seen on Cox PATV Mondays at 9 PM in November and anytime on YouTube (Google: Veterans: Community Renewal Team Part I and Part II).Veterans and their families can contact CRT at crtct.org for information. The national Vet Crisis Line may be helpful for those with urgent needs: 1-800-273-8255 or on line at www.veteranscrisisline.net.
Comments and questions are welcome at manchesterreview@gmail.com
