Editor: As our country celebrates Veterans Day, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all the men and women in our community who have honorably served their country.
I would also like to take a moment to reflect on the thousands of veterans and their family members who are homeless each night. It is currently estimated that about 200,000 veterans are homeless each night.
President Obama supported and endorsed the 2010 Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. The plan includes the goal of preventing and ending homelessness among veterans within five years. Since this commitment by the president was established, several proposed bills have been introduced into Congress that specifically addresses the homeless veteran population. House Resolution 806, also known as the End Veteran Homelessness Act was introduced in February by Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif.
If this bill is signed into law, it will provide an additional $50,000,000 in funds to directly provide services to homeless veterans seeking services through Veterans Affiars, HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program and community-based organizations. Currently, our homeless veteran population is underserved. The proposed funds in H.R. 806 will go a long way in assisting our homeless veterans and their family members access the mental health, housing and employment rehabilitation they require to achieve the goal communicated by President Obama, to end veteran homeless in five years.
Please contact U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, who represents Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, and ask him to support this important legislation. Kingston can be reached at 1 Diamond Causeway, Suite 7, Savannah, Ga. 31406 or (912) 352-0101.

Jennifer R. Costello
Richmond Hill