While you are out and about next week you may notice collection jars at local businesses. The Franklin Town Council adopted a proclamation setting aside Sept. 5-11 as Help Homeless Veterans Week.
On a single night in January 2020, 37,252 veterans were experiencing homelessness, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Of those, 22,048 were sheltered and 15,204 were unsheltered.
Here in Macon County, there are four known veterans who are officially classified as homeless, according to the Veterans Services office. Many others are “couch surfing,” meaning they rely on the kindness of friends and family for a place to stay. Like many people in our community, if can be difficult for veterans to find affordable housing, especially older veterans living on fixed incomes and who may have increased medical needs.
There are many factors that can lead to homelessness. Research shows people who served in the late Vietnam and post-Vietnam eras are at the greatest risk of becoming homeless. However, the men and women who returned home from deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq often face invisible wounds, including traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, both of which correlate with homelessness.
Thank you to the First Presbyterian Church men’s group for coordinating this annual effort. In 2019, they raised $1,200 during Help Homeless Veterans Week, and they collect donations throughout the year. The money raised next week will go to the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Mission which provides shelter and career counseling for homeless veterans. Money raised in Franklin will be directed to assist Macon County veterans.
These men and women deserve a place to call home, a safe place to lay their head at night. Next week, take time to support a local business and then donate your change (and maybe a little something extra) to help the homeless veterans in our community. We can step up to help protect and serve the veterans who once did the same for us.