Jamaica Plain nonprofit to receive $1m to aid poor veteran families

By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent

A Jamaica Plain organization is one of two nonprofits in Massachusetts that will each receive $1 million to improve housing and expand support services for “very low-income” families of veterans, officials announced last week.

Volunteers of America of Massachusetts in Jamaica Plain and Veterans Inc. in Worcester were awarded the federal funding from the veterans affairs department’s Supportive Services for Veterans Families Program, said a joint announcement Wednesday from U.S. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown and U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern and Michael Capuano.

“I am thrilled that the Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes our collaborative plan to address and combat regional homelessness,” Thomas Bierbaum, Volunteers of America of Massachusetts president and CEO, said in the announcement. “This grant allows us to improve efforts towards ending homelessness among veterans.”

Veterans Inc. president and CEO Vincent J. Perrone, a retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col., expressed his gratitude as well.

“We are honored to be selected to be able provide these services to veteran families throughout New England,” he said in the release. “With the award of this grant, Veterans Inc. will continue to raise the bar in assisting our veteran families in need.”

E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com.