'Veterans need help': Homelessness among those who served continues to be cause for concern
Robin was standing on the side of the road in Downtown Pittsburgh holding a piece of tattered cardboard, asking for money.
“It was my birthday,” said the Army veteran who gave only a first name, tearing up standing on the Boulevard of the Allies. “And I couldn’t even get $1. This is a heart-wrenching experience. It is horrible how people view homeless people. This is real life for some people. It has humbled me.”
On a day reserved for honoring Robin and fellow veterans, Veterans Day, some find themselves on the streets panhandling, wondering where their next meal will come from or where they might sleep for the night when temperatures begin to drop as the seasons change from fall into winter.
The number of homeless people continues to rise, according to Allegheny County. On Feb. 23, 2022, 880 individuals experiencing homelessness were identified, up from 692 in 2021. Since 2021, Allegheny County has seen a 27% increase in the homeless population. The fastest growing homeless populations are women and children — with 37% being women and 20% being children.
Of those 880 homeless people, 85 were veterans. Veterans made up 20% of the homeless population in 2015, according to Tim Martin, chief veterans affairs officer for Allegheny County. He thinks one reason is that there are more services for younger veterans and they are better able to get help through technology. There also is an influx in programming offered by Veterans Affairs.
A challenging time
The challenge is for older veterans, who are not as connected to resources.
There are 65,000 veterans in Allegheny County, Martin said. According to Veterans Affairs, on a single night in January 2021, there were 19,750 veterans experiencing sheltered homelessness in the U.S.
“Recidivism is still concerning in our area,” Martin said. “It shows we need more long-term programming in our area rather than short term. It’s important to keep homeless veterans and all veterans at the forefront of your thoughts for many reasons.”
Pittsburgh’s Veterans Day Parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and travel not far from some of the homeless encampments. Coming home from the service is one of the toughest transitions, said Martin, who served in the Army.
“You lose your identity. You lose all sense of self and direction,” Martin said. “No matter how much time passes between wars, we still have a mental health crisis in the country, and our veterans feel they are left to face this battle alone. The moment we stop trying to show veterans the love and gratitude they have earned is a moment we have failed these brave men and women who put everything on the line for us.”
It seems like many troops who come home from the military can’t come all the way home, said Michael Kraus, curator and historian for Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Oakland. They may have painful memories or other problems and might not feel like they fit in. It might be difficult to work. It is not uncommon for a veteran to fall through the cracks, Kraus said.
Getting help
There is help, Martin said, through organizations offering emergency financial assistance, short-term housing and shelter. One of those is Light of Life Rescue Mission on Pittsburgh’s North Side, which formed a street outreach team in 2016.
Members visit homeless encampments. They get to know the people. They offer hygiene kits with toiletries and bottled water. They supply meals and access to shelters. Because the street team goes out daily, they see camps when they pop up. They also have developed relationships with those without a home.
The street team helps them obtain driver’s licenses and birth certificates. Members assist with off-site housing or apartment leases, employment, clothing, showers, laundry, first aid and medical needs. They connect them with educational opportunities and alcoholic and narcotics meetings.
“It’s about maintaining a homeless person’s dignity,” said Johnny Layer, a member of the street team. He and Lloyd Massie spent an unseasonably warm Wednesday in October with TribLive and introduced the Trib to Robin, the veteran who stood with a sign asking for money.
Robin, from Pittsburgh’s West End, was in the Army for eight years. As an only child, Robin was spoiled, not even knowing how to do laundry when entering the service. Upon returning home, Robin worked at a pizza shop and went on to own a pizza business. Robin’s father became ill and the medical bills kept mounting.
“It took everything I had,” Robin said.
In the winter, being in the elements causes Robin’s fingers and toes to feel like they are going to fall off. Robin has seen people eat food out of garbage cans and had items taken from a tent because “we don’t have doors that lock.”
Layer and Massie asked if they could pray with Robin. They bowed their heads and shared a prayer.
“I just ask people to be more understanding,” said Robin, who was beeped at by a driver while crossing the street near the on-ramp to the Parkway East. “If that person had to live like this, they would be more patient. They would not have beeped at me. I just want to cross the street.”
Many, many stories
There are many, many stories like Robin’s, Martin said. He recalled an Iraq veteran who lost belief in himself. He did not know what his purpose was but, with help, ended up graduating from college and becoming a colleague of Martin’s.
“It was a very full circle moment,” Martin said. “I understand because when I got out (of the service), I stayed in my car for a bit until I figured things out.”
Returning to civilian life is not easy, said Kent Bey, a Navy veteran who in 2015 founded Project Love Coalition, an organization working to provide housing to homeless veterans and their families. The coalition has the Peace and Friendship Farm, a veteran-led urban farm in the Hill District where veterans learn how to grow healthy food using sustainable technology.
Working on the farm gives them valuable life experiences, and they can share their knowledge with the youth, Bey said. They learn job skills. It can help them deal with trauma by getting their hands into the soil.
“It can be very comforting and healing when you care for something,” Bey said.
Project Love Coalition purchased land to build housing in the Hill District for veterans. Additional funding is needed.
“My heart goes out to the homeless,” Bey said. “I’ve been there, and I don’t wish that on anybody. Some gave some, and some gave all. We want to create this housing development so they have a place to feel welcome.”
It may take a while before they are comfortable with going to a shelter where there is structure because they just came from a structure in the military. If they aren’t ready, Massie said, the street team gives them time.
The trend is more elderly homeless, said Annie Cairns, senior marketing and communications manager development for Light of Life. The street team has seen a 50% increase in the city’s elderly homeless population, and that is expected to triple by 2030, Cairns said. Their shelters are currently in overflow.
“These people are someone’s grandmother or grandfather,” Cairns said. “The truth is we’ve seen veterans who have no prior criminal history, no prior drug or alcohol addiction, and they’ve still become homeless. They’ve lost a spouse, became ill and can no longer afford their increased rent. It’s difficult to find senior living facilities that have elder care that are remotely affordable. The biggest thing is the homeless feel invisible.”
Since the eviction moratorium enacted during the covid-19 pandemic has expired, eviction stats have skyrocketed, she said. There isn’t enough low-income housing. On average, 50 families are evicted from their homes per day in Allegheny County, according to Eviction Lab, which tracks filings.
Massie and Layer said it takes patience to build trust with veterans dealing with trauma or other mental health issues. There are physical injuries as well.
“Being homeless is not what people think,” Layer said. “I love what I do. It invigorates me. There is gratitude on both sides. People know Light of Life. We bring hygiene kits and water, but most of all we bring hope.”
‘This can happen to any of us’
Light of Life helped Mr. Bailey, 88, an Army veteran, find an apartment. Bailey said he decided to go into the service because an uncle served in World War II. He was stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas and at an artillery base in Oklahoma. He was in Korea for 16 months and 24 days.
Bailey came to Pittsburgh when he was recruited by Westinghouse’s nuclear division in March 1982 from his job at North American Aviation in California, where he worked on Apollo 15 in 1971. He was the only African American on the Apollo 15 team.
He worked at Westinghouse in Churchill and bought a home in Monroeville. He has four master’s degrees and one bachelor’s degree. He retired from Westinghouse and was teaching at Community College of Allegheny County but eventually lost that job, he said.
His wife died. He lost his home. He found himself on the street.
“I wanted to join the military and defend my country,” said Bailey, 88, who is now living in an apartment. “I wasn’t afraid. Veterans need help. This can happen to any of us.”
Services for those who have served
Pittsburgh has several organizations working to find homeless veterans and help them find affordable housing while making the transition to civilian life.
Here are a few:
Veterans Breakfast Club
Tells the stories of military veterans and hosts online and in-person events where veterans of all eras, ages, and branches of service can share their stories with the public.
200 Magnolia Place, Pittsburgh
412-623-9029 or veteransbreakfastclub.org
Light of Life Rescue Mission
Helps provide food, shelter and hope to people of any age experiencing homelessness, poverty or addiction and has a street outreach team that directly engages with the city’s homeless population.
234 Voeghtly St., North Side
412-258-6100 or lightoflife.org
Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard
Empowers veterans’ transition from homeless to home and assists at-risk veterans to become engaged, valuable citizens who contribute to their communities.
945 Washington Blvd., Larimer
412-363-0500 or veteransplaceusa.org
Veterans Leadership Program
Helps prevent homelessness and provides safe housing for veterans in safe neighborhoods with amenities and transportation.
2934 Smallman St., Lawrenceville
1-844-857-8387 or veteransleadershipprogram.org
Project Love Coalition
Empowers veterans through science, technology, education, arts and mathematics-based projects, community building, workforce development and housing.
606 Liberty Ave., Third Floor, Downtown Pittsburgh
412-533-3837 or plcpgh.org
Veterans Court
The Western District of Pennsylvania Veterans Court is a collaboration among the U.S. District Court with several other offices to assist justice-involved veterans who have mental health and substance dependency issues that may relate to their military service.
606 Liberty Ave., Downtown Pittsburgh
412-482-5004 or pawp.uscourts.gov
Allegheny County Veterans’ Services
Provides information about benefits, services and resources available to veterans and their families. The organization also will assist with access to military and veteran-related news and information about events happening throughout the county. There are locations in Downtown Pittsburgh, Crafton, Moon and Oakland.
412-621-4357 or alleghenycounty.us/veterans/index.aspx
VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Helps with the various medical needs of veterans, their families and caregivers. There are two medical centers in Oakland and Aspinwall and health clinic locations in Beaver, Rochester, Fayette, Uniontown, Monroeville, Washington, Westmoreland, White Oak, Wheeling, W.Va., and St. Clairsville, Ohio.
866-482-7488 or va.gov
Western Pennsylvania Veterans Academic Alliance
A partnership of academic institutions across Western Pennsylvania that helps military students.
1440 Wesley W. Posvar Hall, 230 S. Bouquet St., Oakland
veterans@pitt.edu or veterans.pitt.edu
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Provides quality service to the commonwealth’s veterans and their families and oversees and supports members of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Bldg. 0-47, Fort Indiantown Gap, Anville, Pa.
Veteran Benefits Administration
Veteran Benefits Administration helps veterans and their families buy homes, earn degrees, start careers and stay healthy.
1-800-827-1000 or benefits.va.gov
Shepherd’s Heart
Shepherd’s Heart is committed to helping veterans by feeding those in need, offering church services, a drop-in center, clothing and food donations, and also has a home for veterans.
13 Pride St., Pittsburgh
412-277-9895 or shepheart.org
PA Wounded Warriors
PA Wounded Warriors supports Pennsylvania veterans in crisis, as well as their families, through assistance in paying housing expenses, utility bills, transportation costs and other expenses.
1117 Country Club Road, Camp Hill, Pa.
717-761-4017 or pawoundedwarriors.org
Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project is celebrating its 20-year anniversary helping post 9/11 veterans, service members and their families with programs and services in mental and brain health, financial wellness, connection and long-term rehabilitative care.
4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Fla.
877-832-6997 or woundedwarriorproject.org
Operation Troop Appreciation
Operation Troop Appreciation provides active and veteran members of the Armed Forces with services for those coming out of homelessness or hospitalization from physical, psychological or combat related substance use issues.
2017 Pennsylvania Ave., West Mifflin
412-653-1317 or operationtroopappreciation.org
Pittsburgh Vet Center
The Pittsburgh Vet Center with locations in Pittsburgh and White Oak offers confidential help for veterans, service members, and their families at no cost in a nonmedical setting by providing counseling for depression, post traumatic stress disorder and the psychological effects of military sexual trauma.
2500 Baldwick Road, Pittsburgh
412-920-1765 or va.gov
Blessing Board
The Blessing Board is an organization existing to provide donated household furnishings to those in need at no cost.
140 Pennsylvania Ave., Oakmont
412-828-1055 or blessingboard.org
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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