Forward Observer — Calling All Veterans. Need Your Help for a Good North Valley PIT Count

LVMAC Poster Art 2005Recently we learned the Lehigh Valley Regional Homeless Advisory Board (LVRHAB) is conducting a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) homeless point-in-time survey the evening of 24 January extending through 25 January.

HUD is the government agency overseeing home mortgage lending practices and is centrally involved in solving the issue of homelessness by the nature of its purpose.  Every year it conducts a Point in Time (PIT) Count of the un-housed on the predicted coldest day of the year.  The count involves seeking out those who are unsheltered and those in emergency shelters or transitional shelters — that is, homeless households.  The numbers obtained are important to HUD’s reporting of its accomplishments and to their funding practices.  But as its name may imply, its tendency is to focus geographically on urban areas. (more…)

LVMAC News — A’s for Vets Partnering with CareerLink

A Unique Education to Employment Fair to Occur

Click on image to enlarge

Click on image to enlarge

Academics for Veterans (A’s for Vets)  had approached and the CareerLink Lehigh Valley has agreed to a joint event, an Education and Employment Fair, at the CareerLink on Union Boulevard, Allentown.  It will occur on 10 November 2016 between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.  It is but another unique offering from A’s for Vets — something for which it is becoming known.  This event is open to any veteran seeking education and/or employment.  It is not open to the general public. (more…)

Forward Observer — Lehigh Valley VA Homelessness Summit Needs More Community Involvement

LVMAC Poster Art 2005On 28 September, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center (VAMC) is holding a Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups (CHALENG) Meeting and Summit at the Charles Chrin Community Center of Palmer Township (Gym II).

While there has been a long history of annual CHALENG meetings, holding one in the Lehigh Valley has been a rarity.  Considering the recent efforts of the Lehigh Valley Regional Homelessness Advisory Board (LVRHAB), the time has come to encourage such meetings locally if the VA is to be a true partner in this region’s homeless efforts – and not off to the side.

Because a summit implies the meeting of leaders, LVMAC is reaching out to various organizations (police departments, school districts, public housing authorities, special social work agencies, county and city governments, for example) to have a key officer or “mover and shaker” attend. (more…)