Rep. Bonamici Praises Grant for Portland-Based Non-Profit, Highlights Local Veteran’s Story

Portland, OR – Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) emphasized the importance of the $6 million grant awarded to Portland’s Transition Projects and highlighted the story of a veteran and his family who received help from the organization.

“Today we heard from an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran who, with his wife and five children, would likely be homeless without the help from Transition Projects. The housing, food, and clothing from Transition Projects made a crucial difference in helping Jeremiah Mettler and his family transition to a stable home,” Congresswoman Bonamici said. “This family’s story is far too common among veterans. We must do more to help ease the transition from the battlefield to civilian life. This grant will help maintain and strengthen support services to better assist our service members as they return home.”

The grant, from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Supportive Services for Veterans Families program, provides assistance to low-income veterans who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness and is part of the agency’s goal to end veteran homelessness by 2015. Alex Glover, Veteran Services Director at Transition Projects and an OIF/OEF Navy Veteran, highlighted how necessary these services are to returning veterans.

“As a veteran myself, supporting our brothers and sisters in arms is extremely important,” Glover said. “As long as we, as a country, are engaging in combat operations, there will always be veterans in need of resources. This investment by the VA will support over 1,700 local veteran families.”

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