Thank you all for your service past and present to this country into your fellow veterans. We are honored to work alongside you. Thats exactly what we are going to be doing over the next few days. Were going to be working together. Not in a typical way that we work, not our daytoday work. Nothing normal sense. But over the next three days, you are going to have the opportunity to pause and take a step back from the daytoday grind, the daytoday challenges, all of the things that we struggle with. Every single day. Really think about what we are doing and why are we are doing it. Were going to think about what we know, and what we dont know. Im going to pause for a second. Those of you who know me, you know that formal remarks are really not my specialty. I want to see a show of hands when you heard us when we said, its going to be data, you had a big hug, its okay. I am a self professed data geek. I want to talk to you a little bit about data being important. I know sometimes data can feel abstract, and disconnected from the reality of things. Sometimes a little dry and a little boring, not really connected to the veterans that we are serving every day. We are here to serve veterans. Data can help us do that. We can get excited about data. Im going to tell you why. What can data tell us. What can we learn from data. Well i can tell us a lot about who we are serving, what their challenges are, what their strengths are, what the needs in the community are, it can tell us if what we are doing is effective. Is it working. Its great to be chugging along and working working working, but if what we are doing doesnt work, it doesnt matter. Data can help tell that story for us. It can also tell us some great things. Like over the last ten years, we collectively, the folks in this room and the folks we work with, have made tremendous progress in ending veteran homelessness and we need to celebrate that. [applause] without data, we wouldnt be able to know that what we are doing is working. It also helps tell us where those needs are. Veteran homelessness is not ended. There are still needs out there. And it definitely from the field he can say this need is here and there, but data helps us see where those trends are. What is happening. Is the population shifting over time. Is it shifting demographically by age, or by race or by gender. Is it shifting i need. Or by barrier and how can we then collectively address those barriers and needs. Data can also help us educate and inform our elected officials. They like numbers. They like numbers when theyre making policies and making spending money and data can help give them those numbers. The justification for the money that they are spending. As i mentioned, it can also help us figure out what works and what doesnt work. But the other side of data is it helps us figure out what we dont know yet. There are a lot of things that we dont know yet. When we figure out what we know, and what we dont know, and that can push us forward to making better policies, better practice and also innovation. Innovation has to be rooted in some kind of foundation. And data is that foundation. Data and experience in the other side of things. One of the things that i hear, i heard a lot as we were preparing for this conference is, will data is great but at the end of the day, who are we serving. We are serving individual veterans. The data helps us see the big picture they would translate that data into what is meaningful for an individual veteran. Memorial day, couple of days ago, as is usually the case saving private ryan was on at the movies. My husband was watching it and i was working but it was in the background playing. It kinda brought to mind a personal but veteran connection for me. My great uncle, so this is my grandfathers uncle, came into normandy in the second round and he was a scout. He was one of the scouts in his unit, and one of only two to survive the battle. Hes alive still, he is 95 and a half. And so when we think about the data, it is taking the data in figuring out how to use that data to serve that veteran. And so that veteran well. His story, and historian what he saw on woodys told us a lot of stories, has shaped his entire life. He was very young at the time but it shaped entire life and his entire experience. It is a different story than every other veteran that we are trying to serve. Our challenge is to take the data, the information, the experiences that we have, and translate that into a way to serve the unique needs of each of these veterans that were trying to serve. So with that, you dont want to hear from me this morning, i am going to turn things over to ken nichols who was from our board members, shes sort of going to be our host and hostess this morning. Cant nickel, is a veteran and she is the Eastern Washington strategic Operations Manager for Washington State department of Veterans Affairs. I will have such long titles . And she specializes in regional and strategic and multijurisdictional partnerships. Shes the director of this cocaine veteran Regional Center in spokane washington and also the member of a few boards. Please welcome kat. Thank you. Thank you so much, and amazing and brilliant thank you cindy. I dont know how anybody could have gone out after glenn. Absolutely beautiful. Im so proud to be here representing the nch board this morning, our new amazing ceo catherine mckay, who recently brought into the world one of the cutest babies ive ever seen. And so, i get to be up here with you today. I want to thank each and every one of you, for being a part of mch mission. For making this conference a priority. Youre going to learn about some of the most amazing innovative best practices that are being celebrated across our nation. They gave me goosebumps to think this is my fourth year here. Here i am up here sharing the great things that have already happened in my state of washington. That you can bring to all of your states respectively. Super excited about all of the great networking youre going to have and really excited to get to introduce some really wonderful brilliant minds. It is my privilege now to introduce heather prill. Heather is a senior manager of Strategic Partners for the Home Depot Foundation. One of her great partners. She uses her personality to strategically build and manage key relationships with national partners. She works to further the mission of injuring that every veteran hamza safe place to go home. This isnt just what she does, it is who she is. Heather takes time and gets back to her Community Serving on multiple boards in her spare time. We know that doesnt really exist. Its really an honor to have you with us here this morning heather. [applause] good morning and how is everybody doing . Are all west coasters wideawake . [laughter] im going to take that as a yes. [laughter] all right, im done. [laughter] your welcome. [laughter] honestly, we are so honored to be here with you again, this is my seventh year with nch bmp, its good to see your faces once again. You are one of the first people really introduced me to this organization along with red marker who ate missed terribly. So again this honor to be here and i wanted to or first thing is i want to thank you for the amazing work you do. Thank you for the tireless effort that you have for the many days and nights that you spend getting veterans off of our street and really working to in utterance homelessness. Im guessing partners here with me today. Many partners in the room. Colleagues erica, can you stand up . [applause] you want to get to know erica, she is the one who focuses on ending veteran homelessness for the Home Depot Foundation. She leads the grants and she is just an amazing person take the time to get to know her. Kristen, measure of her flight is made in yet. From our team will be joining us as well. I wasnt really done. [laughter] so the Home Depot Foundation we focus on three things, one veteran housing, which will dive into a little bit more in a minute. Trades training which is a new initiative for us, its a surprise. So last year, we announced trades training and in a nutshell, who are going to doing is putting 20000 men and women through skilled trade training by 2028 and were starting this by working with servicemen and women who are exiting the military. We are currently through homebuilders institute, nonprofit partner, currently and seven basis. We will be on ten bases by the end of this year, and in this fall will be launching our High School Program across the country. Very excited about that. And then Disaster Relief as you guys know is an ongoing effort for the Home Depot Foundation. And unfortunately when weve been working with a lot over the last couple of weeks. All of this work that we do as you guys know, hopefully is done with our incredible nonprofit partners. We cant do this without you and really our job is to support the work that you do. Trust me when i tell you that we remember that everything a day. When we do last year when we do and what if we do last your question mark will start the middle, you can see the social issues of why we do what we do. We give away a lot of money, we really do a lot of research a lot of listening, we learn from our partners. As you guys heard earlier, people know we are at the experts we know whether or not, we listen to the experts. With take critical repairs and you guys can see that social issue that one in five veterans are considered their homes considered inequity inadequate. Complete 1750 critical repairs. That is for veterans of all ages, and then allows them live and stay in their homes indefinitely as long as possible. Then the 800,000 plus close 11 veterans with a Significant Service is connected disability. We hunt in a little bit more and work specifically with this veterans who have been catastrophically wanted. With nonprofit partners last year we constructed the three smart access owns. It doesnt sound like a lot but its a lot of work. Our partners are amazing. And the one you are almost familiar with 38000438 to 40000 Homeless Veterans because of you, last year we were able to provide funding for nearly 1500 Additional Units of housing. Brandnew our rehab units. On the you guys to give yourselves a round of applause for that. [applause] so the picture you see there is malcolm army. How many of you were here last year and saw the the video of malcolm question mark im impressed that you remember this. [laughter] so malcolm hardy, for you those of you didnt see the video, hes a friend of ours who served in the navy for 12 years, he got out the navy and with summary stories that you all here, for various reasons fell into homelessness for more than a decade. With the help of uss and the help of just the amazing person of malcolms, i am happy to say the malcolm is now completing his final year of grad school. Hes going to be a social worker so he can help veterans who have been homeless as well. He is now married to a wonderful woman named tessa, they are living independently in an apartment in long beach california. We are really proud of the work malcolm did. All right. So we also know that work isnt done. They wanted to make sure you will note that we arent going anywhere that our communities know we are going anywhere. We you probably remember the commitment we had of a court of a million dollars, we met that commitment two years early. We wanted to make sure that you guys know we are in this with you. We announced last year that we are increasing our commitment to a half a billion dollars. By 2025. Thats to make sure we can contending continue to support the work you all are doing. [applause] we also want to do the notes, not just the foundation that stands behind you, its our entire company. We got a quick video to show you a little bit about the work we do. [inaudible conversation] [inaudible conversation] [applause] semi final thing is one final thank you on behalf of home depot and the foundation from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for the impact you are making on the lives of veterans. We are humbled by you in the work you do. We are proud to stand next to you. In support you. Thank you so much. [applause] deny say that who she is. Thank you so much. I know i dont need to tell you what a great partner we have in the Us Department of labor veterans Employment Training but i wanted to share a little bit about my own personal experience with this organization. Some of the best servant leader ive ever known in the state of washington, have been those serving in the us that ive had the opportunity work with them to write standdown grants, our state department of departments the only state agency that has an hdr peak grant. We had a lot of collaboration over the air. Not to mention our tremendous partnership with the jobs for Veterans Services grants and all of our american job centers. So staff in washington, they are all rock stars. I can rattle off all of their names by heart right now but i just want to say that the work that they do is fantastic in the collaborative work that theyve had within is really truly a wonderful relationship. It is my privilege and honor to introduce a great patriot, Us Marine Corps officer and current chief of staff of the Us Department of labor, veterans employment and training. Who is going to im certain going to take this legislation late to have an congressional expense and do Amazing Things. Welcome jonathan. [applause] thank you very much for the opportunity today to address such an inspiring coalition. Thank all of you for your dedicated efforts to restore hope, confidence, and a Bright Future for the American Veterans who want selflessly to step forward to serve the nation and for their country first. For countless unique reasons, these great americans who once chose to put on the uniform and defend our way of life, now face the cruelest of realities and bestow us with the opportunity to serve them. We will extend our nations gratitude for their services. It is an honor to serve with all of you, and share the stage with the inspiring leaders today are here today. My name is john but i am the chief of staff of veterans employment and Training Service at the department of labor. It is my honor to speak with you today on behalf of the secretary of labor alexander. The department of labor veterans employment and Training Service are best as many of us know it. Its role at the partner to the Many Organizations and agencies that have permitted the time resources, and expertise to the necessary goal of ending veteran homelessness in america. We respect and honor many partners in this effort, we sincerely thank the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. For bringing us all here today. Addressing veteran homelessness requires all of the resources that our programs bring to the table. It requires knowledge and action. It requires policy and practice. He requires strategy and speed. We must respond to the immediate needs of the veterans who answer the call of service and doesnt know where to sleep tonight. We must support the veteran on the cusp of crisis. To help facilitate the pathway to economic selfsufficiency. We must with vigilance, focus on the careers that the Service Members as they transition into civilian life so that our future veterans continue on a challenging and rewarding career path. This has them and their families up with a lifetime of success. In that spirit, lets offer services to transitioning Service Members and veterans at every stage of their adaptation to civilian life. The Transition Assistance Program or task has evolved to meet the needs of the transitioning Service Members reserve and the civilian economy that they will thrive within. The new tab emphasizes transitioning Service Members with its apprenticeships. Education, and Career Opportunities and growth sectors coupling military experience with the needs of american employers to maximize their economic potential. Rather than a full reliance on classroom training, we are exposing transitioning members to direct experiences and growing businesses and industries within their communities. Our jobs for veterans provide states with the resources to employ disabled veteran outreach programs specialists. Local veteran staff. To serve both veterans with significant barriers to employment and the employers to which to take advantage of this tremendous pool. Talent pool. Most of these dedicated employees are veterans themselves. Which significantly enhances their abilities to connect with and represent veterans they serve. Directly relevant to the gathering here today, it works across government on homelessness to prevent homelessness among our nations veterans. The Homeless VeteransReintegration Program of which there are currently over 1150 grants throughout the nation. Bringing together the resources that the workforce system Veterans Service organizations and Community Based organizations serving the homeless to provide the best possible condemnation on the board for veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. They served nearly 18000 veterans last year and assisted with placement of nearly 11000 into careers in the program. Currently, its a 68. 7 rate for all veterans participating in the program. Veterans participating were able to take advantage of a wide array of Work Experience opportunities with nearly 15000 participants receiving classroom or occupational skills or retraining and 2200 engaging in the present ship or off the job training. It started out smoke. 2 million in 1998. A few years later, Administration Grant program was established and they were able to offer services. Provided Employment Services and access to jobs while they provided temporary housing. They achieved great success. Helping tens of thousands of Homeless Veterans access to money benefits. We are deeply proud of our history of providing these services to veterans in shedding light on this important challenge to our nation. A successful history must not create complacency. Achievement is in the absence of new aspiration. In this spirit, we are excited to announce improvements in the coming program. Meet the needs of veterans who require services and struggle to access them from eligibility rules were amended and benefits act of 2018, and further, appropriations acts of 2019. Since they adopted the charge to address homelessness, a number of services and support have been made available to support Homeless Veterans. In 2009, the homeless emergency system transitioned out, the vas commitment to ending veteran homelessness open doors changed the landscape of homelessness. The new programs and resources led to greater awareness, more veterans being out in dramatic reduction in veteran homelessness. Needless to say, they have taken these advances. The worst unintended consequences we are now addressing. As most of you know, theyve been unable by law to enroll veterans. Therefore, veterans recently housed through the vas, housing and urban development are continuing no longer homeless and therefore, no longer eligible. Veterans would therefore not able to access the Services Even if they have been homeless just a few days before. Its important opportunities to support veterans that can sustain housing. The propagated work of supporting the veterans. Thanks to the language and Veterans Benefits transition act that they supported, it will not be able to serve veterans who have presently been out. [applause] the new eligibility rule gives veterans in the last 50 days prior to enrollment will be eligible for these services. Im sure i do not have to explain the importance of this change to anyone in this room. Serving veterans who have been recently housed but necessary in homelessness and prosperity. Instead of worrying about eligibility rules, the veterans we serve can focus on building a career on a solid foundation. The veterans can spend time in the bathroom building skills in the local community. They can be ready to work toward a brighter future. The veterans can craft their own vision of prosperity but it does not end with shelter. The act of 2019 opened this eligibility to veterans who are at risk of homelessness. This will ensure access for more veterans for the services. This change means how veteran may not enter homelessness and help them avoid it. As all of you know, the difference between risk of homelessness responding to reality is great. I want to be clear that this change in the rule does not mean a change in our vision. Our focus in our commitment, it is and has been and will remain a program for Homeless Veterans. To assist them to career path of success. We are not abandoning what is most essential to our mission, rather we are ensuring their services more compatible with array of services provided. The vast majority of veterans transition their military experiences to a lifetime of success. Let us not leave them who stood up to answer the call of duty but will over time how much more unfortunate. In conclusion, i would like to reiterate the importance of the work. In our great nation, military service and enables a lifetime of career success. As american employers continue to realize what veterans bring to the workforce, the Unemployment Rate for veterans continues to reach historic lows. This recognition throughout our society is fundamental sustainment of our volunteer force and the greatest military world has ever known. You know employers have a special focus on feelings inc. The benefits of veteran employment, tell them about our new program. The only federal level award that recognizes an employers proven commitment to hiring and retaining veterans. More information about the program can be found at higher effects. Gov. Hard to think all of you for your time and attention today. More important, i want to thank you for your work. All of you and your partners and colleagues across the nation are changing lives for the better. Its your work that brings hope to a homeless veteran. Its your work that enables the Homeless Veterans to find a home to cultivate a family and sustaining a career. Its all of you that we invest to support. Thank you very much. [applause] i see theres a little pause in the action here. I thought i would fill in [laughter] [applause] i want to thank the staff and the board interNational Coalition about Homeless Veterans for the work they do. The boards and ceo and staff who Work Together as well as we have and if the board is in the room, which they are, please stand up. [applause] it looks like my time is up. [laughter] cindy will take us to the next level. [applause] thank you. Im back again. Its my pleasure this morning to introduce secretary ben carson. On march 2, 2017, he was sworn in at the 17th secretary of u. S. Department of housing and urban development. Nearly 30 years, secretary carson served as a pediatric neurosurgery at the pediatric center. He was just 33 years old becoming the youngest Major Division director in the hospital history. In 1987, he performed the first separation of cranial twins, he joined at the back. He performed the First Successful separation of type two portable separation in south africa. Dozens of honor of awards and recognition of achievements. Medal of freedom, nations highest civilian honor. The highest by the National Associations to be advanced. He offered nine books, four of which he coauthored with his wife. After he met his wife, he cofounded the carson Tolerance Fund which recognizes young people of all backgrounds to the exceptional academic accomplishments. They are currently operating in 50 states and the district of columbia and recognized more than 7300 scholars, awarded more than 7. 3 million in scholarships and installed more than 1150 meeting rooms around the country. Born in detroit to a single mother with a third grade education. Secretary carson was raised reading and education. He graduated from yale university. He and his wife are the parents of three sons and they have three grandchildren. Join me in welcoming secretary carson. [applause] thank you so much. Thank you for the wonderful introduction. Thank you all for being here and for what you do for our veterans. 1 of our population makes it possible for the other 99 to live in peace and freedom. We should never forget that. On behalf of hud, the privilege to share with you today my patient for addressing the housing challenges. Facing our countrys veterans. They made our freedoms possible. Sometimes the sacrifices that our veterans made arent readily apparent. Certainly when someone is killed or loses a limb or i. All can see that. So often, its something thats imperceptible. The traumatic brain injuries that occurred just by thinking proximity to some of the big guns, concussions and time after time again, they can have a devastating impact on people and it changes their lives. Thats why when they go in, they come back different. Thats a tremendous sacrifice. Its in something we must be ready and prepared to address. While america continues to witness unprecedented low unemployment and job creation and optimism, we need to make sure that our veterans also participate in the progress. No man or woman wants our nations uniforms should ever be abandoned to a shelter or the streets. [applause] it is our mission to make sure that every veteran has a safe quality, affordable place to call home. Together with the department of Veterans Affairs, weve made Great Strides to end veteran homelessness. They have a wide range of programs to prevent and limit homelessness to healthcare job training, education and housing systems. We still have a lot of work ahead of us. It reflects the efforts and priorities to serve those americans who have so beautifully served our nation. First, i want to talk about the results of huds most recent homelessness efforts. Well talk about the different range of programs and services that we have to reduce homelessness. And third, how we are working to increase Affordable Housing and financial subsistent seek. Not only veterans but for everyone. Each year, thousands of local communities across the country conduct a one night time estimate of the number of people experiencing homelessness. Emergency shelters, transitional housing and an unsheltered location. While theres still much work to be done, theres some encouragement in the data. This year, the total number of Homeless Veterans decreased by more than 5 . From more than 40000 to less than 38000. Among them, more than 60 have the safety of residing in shelter settings. We are seeing declines of both number of sheltered and unsheltered utterance. Nationwide, veterans homelessness has been cut by half since 2010. Prompting 71 communities in 33 different states to declare an effective and to veterans homelessness in their area. Three states, virginia, connecticut and delaware have declared an effective and to veterans homelessness. [applause] to fulfill any great dream, requires a great team. We are especially proud of the more than 880 mayors, city council and governors who have joined the Mayors Challenge to end homelessness in their communities. In parallel with local communities working together. Federal agencies are joining forces, too. I said a couple of things here, working together and joining forces. Thats such an important concept in our nation, which is extraordinary. I dont care what anybody says, we live in a magnificent nation. Its better than anything anybody has ever created before. No one on the outside can destroy this nation. But we can destroy ourselves. Through the vision, through hatred. We cannot allow the purveyors of hatred and decision. [applause] much of the project toward ending homelessness is due to the hud program. The Combination Program in which hud provides the housing da provides the wraparound services. If you take traumatized veterans and give them housing, it doesnt work. If you just give wraparound services, it doesnt work. But when you combine them together, we create a path that many have utilized to achieve selfsufficiency. The advanced program is a vital resource that helped more than 1,150,000 formerly Homeless Veterans move into housing since 2008. Roughly 77000 veterans have access to homes right now because of this. Last year alone, more than 4000 veterans are experiencing chronic forms of homelessness. They found permanent housing and Critical Support Services through this initiative. In addition, 50000 veterans found permanent housing and support services to the das continuing of homeless programs. These programs had been a resounding success. Support last year, the va announced an additional 35 million in Grant Funding to 212 Public Housing authorities across the country. They work through combining permanent hud assistance with Case Management and clinical services. Its complemented by va programs that used modern tools and technology to identify the veterans who are most most vulnerable of need and help. Data and evidence drive what is done rather than ideology. Think about human rights expectancy in the developed world, during the mid 19th century, 40 to 50 years of age. Today, nearly 80 years of age. Perhaps the most significant driver, the industry wide switch from cardiology to using evidence. The same thing works and housing. Not so much in government. But we are working on that. Through data rather than guesswork, data shows that it costs less money to take that than to leave them on the streets. Its not just housing first. Its also housing second and third period Housing Stock it means you determine why they were on the street first and how to fix it. Thats what true compassion is all about. We are looking at lots of different models now. We are looking at, what are the results . Other programs, yes. We will look at them all. But we will look at what actually works in terms of getting people on their feet again and into a sustainable position. Thats what makes a difference. The ideology behind it and whats driving it. We do recognize veterans cannot beat addiction from the streets. Youre not going to find a steady job without a study address. Those are the things we will have to work on. More than 1 billion people through emergency shelters, transitional and permanent housing programs. Rent is rising faster than incomes. We have to bring everybody to the table. Not just a federal problem, not just a state or local problem. All of those entities in the forprofit, the nonprofits, the organizations, the state based organizations, we combine all of those together. We will make tremendous progress. Our grants are important while we see homelessness decline so significantly. Earlier this year, hud bolstered our efforts to end homelessness by providing more than 2 billion in homeless assistance grants which support more than 5800 local homeless assistance programs and continuing care program. Renewing these grants will allow these providers to continue their work to house and serve our most vulnerable neighbors. These support a broad range of interventions from street outreach to broad spectrums of housing and related services. These local providers are right in the front line of our efforts to end homelessness. Veterans on the front lines to protect our freedoms at home. This requires us to support those who are on the frontline. Going out in the cold and rain, going under bridges, talking to people sometimes dont even want to seek them and being persistent in establishing those relationships with the people finally begin to trust them and getting people off the streets and in many cases, not only a supportive environment but an environment where they can thrive. Theyre using a wide range of programs that promote selfsufficiency Strong Families and job training. They are essential Building Blocks for success at any level. We announce an investment from 74 million and hundreds of Public Housing authorities across the country so residents can increase their earned income and stay for the future and reduce their dependency on government assistance. Unlike the sentence, common to other assistance structure, the Families Program does not increase your rent for the participating families whose incomes rise. That means the residents can pursue selfreliance without fear of losing rental assistance. Instead, any increase in earnings displaced into an escrow account after completing the program, the family receives the funds and can use them for any purpose. Like a down payment on a home or Security Deposit on an apartment. The funds are an investment. The average Household Income of families in these programs participate more than doubled during their time in the program from 10000 at the time of entry to more than 27000 by the time of completion. One of the things i love about the selfsufficient programs, it doesnt punish people for making progress. Our system, this disturbs me to no end. Right now, government subsidized housing, if your income increases, you have to report that immediately soak your rent can be raised. What kind of incentive is that to do better . [applause] if you bring another income person into the household, you have to report that so your rent can be raised. I dont even think about getting married. We cannot encourage people to climb the ladder of selfsufficiency and pull the latter out as soon as they start climbing. [applause] this is something we are working very hard to change. Its entrenched into our system. Its been there 50 years. God willing, we will get it out. We need our people, our people are our most valuable resource. If we want to be successful as a nation, we have to develop all of our people. We cant afford to throw any away. Everyone we take out the dependent situation and put them into a other situation, its one more we have to pay for but one more person who may discover a cure for cancer or energy source. We need them all. Employment or contracts. For low income people in the area where the grant is being used in so many have not utilized the program. Its complex and there is a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy associated. Weve been working very hard the last year was to try to change that program to make it more more easy to use. Were making very substantial progress with that. Its going to make a big difference. And particularly with the opportunities of opening up, theres going to be a lot of grants there. Sublimating the private sector sector investments which will provide enormous amount of opportunities for people to gain the cognitive skills which will actually allow them to escape dependency and particularly remove those ridiculous incentives out of the way and i think it will make a big difference. This way, hud is not only helping veterans, find steady homes so they can find steady employment. Were also promoting sustainable employment. So veterans can afford to eventually own sustainable homes. While the number of Homeless Veterans continues to decline, our work is not complete. We must continue to be vigilant until we learn and emanate veterans homeless in every community from one coast to the next. We need our veterans to flourish. Their sacrifices remain the foundation of our liberties. Its the rock in which our National Character rests. Its not enough. Its hard enough that we keep veterans in our thoughts. And in our prayers. We must transition them from the streets and shelters into safe, quality, Affordable Homes all across this great land. I want to think the National Coalition for veterans. For your partnership with hud. For your tireless efforts to provide resources and assistance and advocacy, on behalf of our great brothers and sisters in arms. Working together at the federal state and local level, we can and will continue to make progress until all americans have a stable home. So they can pursue their american dreams. Togetherness, is something that is demonstrated by our armed services, giving people from every aspect of our nation and they mailed them together into a unified fighting force. This is made possible for us to remain free all of this time. Think about what can happen if we as a nation, stop fighting each other. We start concentrating on one of the real issues in our country. Think how quickly we could solve those problems and make a decent place for everybody. I want to thank you for your service for being here today, may god bless you. Come back [applause] [inaudible conversation] thank you secretary card commitment. [applause] how moving was that. To fulfill a great dream requires a great team. Look around this room, your meetings, the expansion of your teams, today, tomorrow and friday. I hope that everyone of you goes home with new networks and new partnerships in this team on this great mission. This next amazing speaker has been modeling Servant Leadership for her whole life. Over 30 years of service in the south Dakota Air National guard, rising to the rank of colonel. Now making the very most of her education and experience as the manager of city salute, a companywide Initiative Supporting her fellow fellow veterans and their families. Lets welcome ruths office in. Got back [applause] good morning. Look at that. Thank you. [laughter] it is funny because im looking at all of the great speakers starting out this morning and its like, zero man, theyre going to hear me. Hopefully you get some thoughts worsen forces. I love the theme for this years conference. I am sorry everybody, but i do like data. I am a dean being countered by education. Truth be told, i love numbers, im just weird that way. It is kinda geeky but i like it. Even though you may not get it and its kind of annoying and sometimes we can have data overload, we need to remember that we need data. I wouldnt doubt that each of you for your community or your expertise, would be able to close data off the top your heads. Even though you wouldnt consider yourself a geek. Were different but numbers count. We all know the data those veterans that are an unemployed and never employed. Long after the fighting on the battlefield inns, they have so security and often community. Far too often, as weve all heard, and of living on the streets. We heard the 38000 data on the homeless, we know that another 1. 4 million veterans are considered at risk of homelessness. 1. 4 million. This is due to poverty. While those numbers are have decreased as secretary carson mentioned, we know that there is a lot more work to do. It is still on our countrys consciousness. Simply putting this over our heads isnt easy. As we have said, is not the pollution. Homeless veterans tend to be younger on average. In their overall veterans population. Approximate 90 percent are between the ages of 18 and 30. 41 percent between the ages of 31 and 50. This means that many years of potential opportunity that we need to be tapped by all of us. As secretary sark carson said, everyone counts. We need everybody. Just giving them a home, a fully integrated program to address the multiple issues and obstacles they face and im sure they could lead productive lives. Among components are Mental Health services. Substance abuse treatment. Heres a little more data for you. Since you dont get enough. According to the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans, girls today, about 80 percent of this population struggles with drug and alcohol issues and 50 percent are afflicted with Mental Health problems including depression. The fact that 20 veterans commit suicide every day is heartbreaking. More than enough reason for more holistic approach of action. We also know that theres access to Mental Health and Substance Abuse assistance is not enough. While the unappointed rate is self and 18 are low, 3. 5 percent in 2019, we all know that under employment is disproportionately impacting our veterans. According to a recent study primary zip recruiter and endowment, nearly a third of veterans are underemployed. Meaning they are working a job they are either overqualified to do, or that is not taken into account their characteristics from discipline and teamwork to Situation Analysis and response under pressure. Opportunities must be part of our total solution. A top priority for Homeless Veterans is secure safe clean housing that offers a supportive environment. In 2012, City Partners with National Equity fund and together launch bring them home. Its a focus on creating affordable and supportive and creative housing for our veterans. Since that time, it is provided more than 3. 2 million in support of notes to support these bring them home projects. This has helped create nearly 4000 units of housing for veterans. These projects include working with Strong Community and national partners, many are whom in this room. They create the Housing Support needed to address the data that weve all been listening to this morning. This housing doesnt just provides shelter. It is a more holistic approach necessary to end veteran homelessness. Across our country, there are several organizations that have stepped up take this work holistic approach. In boston massachusetts, home for veteran, that serves 1500 and this is emergency transitional housing and permanent housing and health services. Across the country in los angeles, homes for families utilize a patented and rich neighborhood model to support veterans in surrounding areas. This approach combines that Affordable Housing, have shelter, specialized mortgage programs, common gardens and other shared community spaces. Services such as trauma and formed care art classes, nutrition cases and Child Development and very important, financial education. When we think of our veterans, we want one noise comes to my mind. Veterans epitomize resilience necessary to step up and serve the country. The resilience is carried through and leave the midget military facing sometimes a daunting task of trying to fit into a world that is changed and might even seem foreign. Resilient defined by rep states that ability to easily to misfortune for change. Resilience. One use of the word i like even better is by author rodales wrote regarding resilience. There is in certain people, the quality of resilience. The sturdy refusal to acknowledge defeat. Sound familiar. We chase them as effectively and affairs of the heart is in the encounters of a sterner more practical kind. Veterans are definitely resilience. In 2018, we commissioned a photographer guess to bring them homes photographs of resilience. Its a display that shines light on the perseverance and dynamic stories of veterans about that are at risk for homelessness. The exhibition carried by the city finance department, and featuring city Supportive Housing developers with our friends to bring them home, will be on display at the Conference Starting tomorrow. The photos depict the resilience of those given so much yet still struggle. I encourage each of you to take the time tomorrow or sometime during the conference, to walk through the public display of these photos and feel the stories that each photo is telling you. Use them. As a your inspiration to be resilient in your own quest to end veterans homelessness. I am so proud of the work each of us and everyone in this room is doing for our veterans. Thank you for the work you do and continued to drive the data in a much more positive direction. With that im going to leave you with a video. The pictures and the photo display you be seeing tell that silent story. Youre going to feel it. This video tells a story of a cowboy. His journey in the finding of hope and a better life when he moved into the. A skid row trust unit in los angeles. The stick was developed Partnership Support from National Equity fund and city through them homes. Listen to the cowboy story and know that your resilience and continue the work to end homelessness is indeed working for our veterans. Thank you very much. [applause] [inaudible conversation] [inaudible conversation] traumatic brain injury trace and ptsd. To help veterans that are almost, need you to know the environment that we need in order to help them get back into a home life in the community. Condo National Program that was started through system and develop it of permanent housing and the Affordable Housing for homeless and low income veterans. Bring them homes project. Veterans seeking military it might not be familiar with this and they need support. Six weeks to diverse needs of this residence in many ways. The architecture feel special events designed with dignity in mind. Modern look lets them know that this is somewhere they can see themselves living in the future. Oliver units are compliant, independent laundry room, community room, where they are able to congregate and we offer Case Management services. Also linking our residents to medical and Mental Health services if needed. Insight group such as life skills and all of these things help our residents who to adapt from being homeless. We walked the streets, i see another veteran thats going to give himself pull together. Access to housing for veterans. Community development begins homes bring them home in 2012. Innovative from the very start. Seventy products in 15 states across the country. That will result in the construction of 4000 units over Affordable Housing of which 3000 will be designated for veterans. When i chose this, this is the place i want to live in and finally i will have a roof over my head. I feel safe and secure. This is where i want to stay. [applause] wow, a picture is always worth a thousand words. Thank you city for that great work you are doing. One more round of applause. [applause] all right. Do we save the best for last . [applause] i am pleased to welcome another patriot turn fierce advocate. Nationally recognized for the outstanding work that she has done through her nonprofit organization, john 142, and the womens veterans interactive. Reaching out to help veterans experience pride dignity and most of all hope. I. Wow, she said save the best for last. Dont do that, i dont need any pressure. Let me just tell you how. Grateful i am to be here today. To the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. Thank you for this awesome invitation. This mic is extremely loud and powerful. Nevertheless, im at the end is the tatian and i saw some of the other speakers, i just couldnt figure out why i was invited to speak here today. I have done a lot of great things in my life, ive accomplished a lot of Amazing Things in my life. But now i get it. There was one point in my life after serving my country, that i was homeless. And when i see all of the other speakers go before me and i see these great videos, now i get it. We need to do as a coalition, as a country, we need to raise the bar. We need to raise the standards what for our Homeless Veterans. [applause] Homeless Veterans, i have this thing that i think of going to get to this last but i have to speak from the heart. What i experience in my life, and im just going to put this paper away. After serving my country, i served in the navy for four years out of got a medical discharge, some people say go navy. My husband was suffering from severe post does ptsd. Like a lot of our veterans today, when that didnt work out, they told me that i had to take my crazy husband and find someplace to go. I was very unskilled, i went into the navy, i barely had a High School Diploma. I stayed in school five years in the navy recruited convicted me to pay another High School Diploma. Dont stay there because i have a masters degree degree to back it up. [applause] where you go when your husband who is supposed to be your knight in shining army is suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. Your son is two or three years old and you have that quote unquote piece of paper thats a High School Diploma in four years driving about. So we became homeless. This was in the early 90s. There was no Women Veterans into active. I dont come from a military town or military family. And either i didnt know where to look for help. It was tragic. I worked three jobs with the School Full Time to pull me and my family out of homelessness. The sad part is, we are here today to talk about data. The data has been the same since the early 90s. [applause] the data has not changed. Women veterans are still the Fastest Growing segment of the homeless population. White. We need to drive the data. Dont let the data try this. [applause] in my speech i talked about some articles that i recently came out in headlines for me, virginia miller, have been the same since the early 90s. This is why it i thought that Women Veterans interactive. When i was homeless i didnt know who to reach out to. I didnt even know how to tell somebody that i was homeless after serving my country. Women veterans are still homeless. They come to Women Veterans interactive because we serve as a beacon of hope. So when they come to us, guess what, when you look at women but veterans now we are underfunded and overworked. But the women they come to us, so what ive done as a ceo, im reaching out to forum Strategic Partnerships. We just signed up big thing with veterans women of america. Its amazing. They are helping us to support our womens entrance transition space which is our workforce and element program. Homelessness is not the real issue. And specifically the womens Homeless Veterans. Or underemployed. In 2014, head decision to make. I could either, start a transitional facility or im thinking while most of the women that you see ginger, there they are an employed or underemployed. Workforce development. Take your pick. So i did what everybody else wasnt doing. And i thought of the Women Veterans transition space. Nobody believed it. I have bought members that walked away i had friends walked away, but it took us four years and we got a 50000 grant last year from the soffit foundation. [applause] my thinking is this, because i loved it, for a very long time. When i see these videos, and was in a nervous Bank Breakdown watching these videos because thats my reality. The number this way. And never goes away. When i wake up every day, people tell me ginger why are you so motivated. Its because i know the way out. I know the way out. I know how to drive that data out. Nobody is listening. Now i understand why i am here. For years i didnt want people to know that i was homeless. I was ashamed. I was embarrassed. And i was hurt. But god had a bigger plan for me because i observed on every level of government. And im even the chairwoman for a committee and a department of Veterans Affairs that cannot legally name. [laughter] i was also the chairwoman of the county commission for veterans. We have the largest population of veterans in the state of maryland. I am a leader. Im not a throwback. [applause] so when you say driving the data. Weve got to get away from that. Because of its one veteran, included in the data, there homeless, weve got a lot of work to do. Clawback went to events last saturday, got up at 3 00 oclock in the morning to catch a flight to atlanta to attend a networking event. With 30 people. Somebody said to me, what hotel are you staying in. Im not in a hotel, i flew in at 3 00 a. M. She said why. And i told her why. I used to be homeless. Nothing beats that. I will 3 00 oclock flight in the morning could compete with homelessness. If my being here today, i am going to do something that ive never done because you know what ginger, miller, ceo, a womans active all of these great accolades i have a Lifetime Achievement award, im not a lifetime are yet. [laughter] nonetheless i have done great things. In america is not getting it. And you know why, its not of the color of my skin. Because i can conquer that. Black women we do great things all of the time. Nevertheless, commack [applause] is because ive been hiding. Thats why theyre here. Ive been hiding qam. Because america but as of today i am going to be the poster child for Homeless Veterans. [applause] i am no longer going to be ashamed. Because, the world all of you here today need to know, and i think the gentleman from department of labor said, veterans we can sleep after being homeless. Homelessness is not a death sentence. Its one particular space in time. Once we get over it, we are over it. But the key is to prevent it. Dont wait until Women Veterans are homeless and on the streets. Empower them and thats what we do we empower Women Veterans. So they can live a full life after transition out of the military. I can leave you with this, because when i get down from here, the action never stops. I am a woman veteran and get destructive needs money for extended stay before her son gets out of on the streets. The temperatures are rising and she is going in for surgery on the fourth. She needs a thousand dollars. That is nothing. But its everything when you have to go out and raise it day after day after day. You know what im going to do. Im going to tell the world. Junior miller, former homeless veteran but dont stop there. Because the mission continues. Thank you. [applause] thank you so much ginger for giving us a reminder that we all need something that happens once in your life or even twice or three times in your life doesnt need to define you. We are and it is our job to believe in the veterans we serve. The most successful people say there is no one in their life was a mentor and a friend who believed in them. Thats our charge. To believe in the veterans we serve, to know the great things that they are capable of a competent, and encourage them along the way. The us session comes back into session on monday night. Passing spending bills. Period in anti gun violence legislation. But before senators return of washington, behindthescenes look at the senate. But cspans History Program the senate. Conflict and compromise. Heres a preview. This very government on which we live was created in the spirit of compromise. Thomas jefferson send lets follow the constitution. The framers established the senate to protect people from their rulers and as a check on the house, the state of this country and even in the World Congress of the United States senate. This tenant senate conflict and compromise. Using original videos. Video archives and unique access to the senate chamber. We will look at the history traditions and worlds of the u. S. Senate. Please raise your right hand, sundays at 9 00 p. M. Eastern and pacific. On cspan. Looked tv on cspan two. Up next we are taking a look at recent best dealt sellers. The libel case against president Theodore Roosevelt 1915. After that, casey cupp recalls author harper lees attempt to write a true crime book. And later, george will writes about the state of americans conservatives him in his latest, the conservative sensibility. Good evening. I am harold halter and i have the honor of serving as director of roosevelt house. We are thrilled to have you here for what we think will be a special evening. We welcome our guest, dan abra abrams. Who as you know provides regular legal analysis to abc news,