Statement of Need

Most homeless veterans (96%) are single males from poor, disadvantaged communities. Homeless veterans have served in World War II, Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the military's anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America.

The number of homeless female veterans is on the rise: in 2006, there were 150 homeless female veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars; in 2011, there were 1,700. That same year, 18% of homeless veterans assisted by the V.A. were women. Comparison studies conducted by H.U.D. show that female veterans are two to three times more likely to be homeless than any other group in the U.S. adult population. Veterans between the ages of 18 and 30 are twice as likely as adults in the general population to be homeless, and the risk of homelessness increases significantly among poor young veterans.

Roughly 56% of all homeless veterans are African-American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 12.8% and 15.4% of the U.S. population, respectively.

About 53% of individual homeless veterans have disabilities, compared with 41%of homeless non-veteran individuals.

Half suffer from mental illness; two-thirds suffer from substance abuse problems and many from dual diagnosis (which is defined as a person struggling with both mental illness and a substance abuse problem).

Homeless veterans tend to experience homelessness longer than their non-veteran peers: Veterans spend an average of nearly six years homeless, compared to four years reported among non-veterans. While only 8% of Americans can claim veteran status, 17% of our homeless population comprises veterans. In 2010, the Department of Veteran Affairs (V.A.) estimated that 76,000 homeless veterans were sleeping on American streets on any given night.

This shows an urgent need for an initiative like ours. Operation Tango Yankee Inc is a non-profit organization that takes care of the community by trying to end veteran homelessness and provide a stable environment for them to reclaim private citizenship. We aim to build a tiny home community that houses homeless or low-income veterans and give them a work program to learn a skilled trade to find steady work and get on their feet. In the community, we want to have psychologists and psychiatrists who are also veterans to help and be available to

those who need it. The organizations lead by Robert Mincey. He has been operating the organization and hopes that he can help the target population in our target areas with this current intended project. He and other members will achieve this through the intended grant. Operation Tango Yankee Inc serves every veteran, irrespective of sexuality, gender, race, etc.