Press Releases
Wal-Mart Foundation Donates $485,000To Veterans’ Families
Services Program
Grant Will Support Planning and Implementation of New Services Initiative
NEWTON, Mass--The National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH) today announced a $485,000 grant by the Wal-Mart Foundation to support planning and implementing a “Support Program for Veterans’ Families” in California and Oregon. The program seeks to ensure availability of high quality, culturally relevant emotional health and family support services to families and children of US veterans.
“Returning veterans rely on their families for critical supports,” said Ellen Bassuk, MD, President of The National Center on Family Homelessness. “All too often, family members don’t know where to turn for help in dealing with the extreme emotional stress associated with military service of a spouse or parent. Most local communities have no systems in place to connect families with the services they need.”
The Wal-Mart grant will be used to support planning and implementing of a pilot initiative in two communities for veteran’s spouses and children. The goal of the pilot initiative will be to establish community-based coalitions that provide coordinated referral routes for quality mental health and family support services.
“Repeated tours of duty, more women in frontline service, large numbers of disabled vets returning home—these factors combine to place huge burdens on military families as well as the communities in which they live,” Bassuk said. “Many times, the vital services families need are already in place. Our aim is to integrate these services and make it easy to access them.
In the US, veterans account for a significant number of homeless individuals. Timely and effective provision of appropriate physical and mental health services can help address the medical and emotional issues that underlie homelessness. The “Support Program for Veterans’ Families” will encourage families to access services, define and implement best practices, and offer training and technical assistance to communities around issues of family preservation, marital discord, post trauma responses (e.g., interpersonal violence, substance use, depression), homelessness prevention, and children’s emotional needs.
“These military families make significant sacrifices to support their loved ones who have served this country, and we owe these veterans and their families our gratitude and support,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Wal-Mart Foundation. “Wal-Mart is proud to partner with organizations like NCFH, who strive to ensure support is available when military families need it most.”
About The National Center on Family Homelessness
Since 1988, The National Center on Family Homelessness has led the fight to give every child a chance by providing communities with the tools they need to end homelessness. Through research, we learn what families need to rebound from economic, social, medical and mental health problems that put them on the streets. Through program evaluation, we identify strategies that work. We use this knowledge to design innovative practices, bring training and technical assistance to community-based shelters and service providers, and improve policy across the nation. By addressing the issues that lead to homelessness, families can change their lives forever.
About Philanthropy at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and its Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. Through its philanthropic programs and partnerships, the Company supports initiatives focused on enhancing opportunities in education, health and human services, sustainability and job skills training. In 2007, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and the Wal-Mart Foundation gave $296 million to communities across the United States. To learn more, visit www.walmartstores.com/community.
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Sam’s Club locations in the United States. The Company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. Wal-Mart serves more than 176 million customers weekly in 14 markets. The Company’s securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT. For more information: www.walmartfacts.com.
