A new charitable fund has been established at the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation to provide critical support for veterans facing homelessness.

The Southern Tier Soldier Shelter Fund will provide for grants that support services for veterans experiencing homelessness locally and nationally. The fund will provide grants to agencies that serve veterans and provide housing services, mental health services and more.

In addition to traditional grantmaking, the fund may also provide grants through housing service nonprofits to pay landlords to temporarily house homeless veterans. In such cases, referrals will be made by the Olean VA or the Cattaraugus County Veterans Services Agency to connect veterans directly to housing opportunities.

Homelessness continues to disproportionately affect those who have served in the U.S. military. While national progress has been made in reducing veteran homelessness, thousands of veterans remain without stable housing. In Cattaraugus County and the surrounding region, local service providers and agencies continue to see veterans in crisis, underscoring the need for targeted funding and resources.

“Veterans who served our country should never face the uncertainty of not having a roof over their heads,” said Kirk Windus, CRCF executive director. “This fund will help meet both immediate needs, like temporary shelter, as well as longer-term solutions that give veterans a path to stability.”

The fund will strengthen the work of agencies providing housing, mental health care and wraparound services, helping create a community where veterans have the chance to find safety and stability. 

Donations can be made to the Southern Tier Soldier Shelter Fund at CRCF, 301 North Union St., Suite 203, or online at cattfoundation.org.

The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is the area’s supportive, responsive and trusted community foundation. Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).