Governor McAuliffe Signs Agreement to Help End Veteran Homelessness

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Seal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Richmond, Virginia - Gov. Terry McAuliffe has signed onto a national agreement aimed at ending veteran homelessness by the end of 2015.

“This ambitious accord will require cooperation and leadership at all levels to complete such an important task,” McAuliffe said. “We are all guided by the same drive and desire to serve these men and women who have served their country.”

Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs John Harvey made the announcement Monday at a statewide summit in Richmond sponsored by the Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness.

“This endeavor clearly recognizes the status veterans have in the Commonwealth,” Harvey said. “They can be assured that they have advocates at the highest level of government in Virginia.”

The agreement, known as the Mayor’s Challenge, is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is being promoted by the National League of Cities through its Homeless Veteran Leadership Network. Originally envisioned as a means for city leaders to pull together and implement local strategies targeting veteran homeless, the agreement has also attracted commitments from chief executives of Colorado, Connecticut,Minnesota, Puerto Rico and now Virginia.

Monday’s summit drew homeless service providers, business leaders and state and local government officials, who met together to develop an action plan for addressing the specific needs of veterans and their families. The goal was to create a state plan that cultivates partnerships, identifies and secures new resources, and increases efficiencies in the delivery of services. The summit was a collaborative effort of the Virginia Department of Veteran Services and the Homeless Outcomes Coordinating Council, and was funded by a grant from Dominion Resources.

The Homeless Outcomes Coordinating Council, led by Health and Human Resources Secretary Bill Hazel and Commerce and Trade Secretary Maurice Jones, has embraced the veteran initiative as part of its overall effort to reduce homelessness in the Commonwealth. The group’s hard work is generating significant results. Homelessness in the Commonwealth has declined 7.9 percent in the last year, with a 10.8 percent decrease in family homelessness and a 14 percent decrease in veteran homelessness. Much of that progress can be attributed to bipartisan support for permanent supportive housing and rapid re-housing solutions.

“One in every 10 Virginians is a veteran,” said Secretary Hazel. “They are our neighbors, friends, brothers, sisters, parents and children.”

“All Virginians should be concerned about veteran homelessness,” added Secretary Jones. “These brave men and women deserve the certainty and security of a place they can call home.”Nationally, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness established the goal of ending veteran homelessness by the end of 2015. About 58,000 veterans are homeless in the United States.

The initiative has attracted widespread interest. First Lady Michelle Obama announced her support last week.

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Governor McAuliffe Announces Administration Appointments

Sandy Adams. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will grow Virginia’s economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth.

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Sandra “Sandy” J. Adams, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Sandy Adams most recently served as Acting VDACS.  This was Adams’ second time serving as Acting Commissioner. Prior to leading VDACS in an acting capacity, Adams served for three and a half years as the agency’s Deputy Commissioner.  In her new role as VDACS Commissioner, Adams is responsible for managing an agency that promotes the economic growth and development of agriculture, provides consumer protection, and encourages environmental stewardship.  Prior to serving as Deputy Commissioner, Adams served ten years as VDACS Director of Administrative & Financial Services and three years as the agency’s Financial Director.  In addition to her almost 20 years at VDACS, Adams served 12 years in a number of positions at the Department of Taxation.  Adams received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Mary Washington College and a post-baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth

Board Appointments

Administration

Citizen’s Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion

·         Susan Alefantis of McLean, Interior Designer, Alefantis & Associates

·         Leslie Greene Bowman of Charlottesville, President, Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello

·         Cynthia Conner of Alexandria, Community Volunteer

·         Beverly B. Davis of Henrico, Chief Operating Officer, Davis Brothers Construction Company

·         Will Paulsen of Charlottesville, Fine and Decorative Arts Appraiser, Appraisal Service/Will Paulsen

·         Jane M. Plum of Reston, Pre-School Director, United Christian Parrish of Reston

·         Monica Rao of Henrico, President/Owner, Graphoria, Inc.

·         Alexander G. Reeves, Jr. of Richmond, Fine and Antique Arts Consultant, Alexander Reeves Fine Arts

·         Davis C. Rennolds of Richmond, Assistant Vice President, McGuireWoods Consulting

·         Brownie Beahm Ritenour of New Market, Retired Public Educator, Community Volunteer

Commerce and Trade

Board of Accountancy

·         Andrea M. Kilmer, CPA, CFF, CGMA* of Virginia Beach, Vice President and CFO, The ESG Companies

Virginia Asian Advisory Board

·         Imran Akram of Great Falls, Chief Executive Officer, NuAxis Innovations

·         Natalie T. Nguyen of Alexandria, WIA Youth Employment Counselor, Fairfax County Department of Family Services

·         Kirtesh D. Patel of Salem, CEO, Omma Management Company

·         J.R. Smith of Glen Allen, Partner, Hunton & Williams LLP

Finance

Debt Capacity Advisory Committee

·         The Honorable Ronald L. Tillett* of Midlothian, Managing Director, Public Finance, Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

Joint Advisory Board of Economists

·         Christine Chmura, Ph.D.* of Glen Allen, President and Chief Economist, Chmura Economics & Analytics

·         Stephen S. Fuller, Ph.D. of Arlington, Dwight Schar Faculty Chair and University Professor, Director, Center for Regional Analysis, George Mason University

·         Alice Louise Kassens, Ph.D. of Fincastle, John S. Shannon Chair of Economics, Roanoke College

·         Tu T. Le of Midlothian, Senior Vice President, SunTrust Bank

·         Ann Battle Macheras, Ph.D. of Richmond, Vice President, Research Department, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

·         A. Fletcher Mangum, Ph.D.* of Richmond, Managing Partner, Mangum Economics

·         Dan C. Messerschmidt, Ph.D.* of Lynchburg, Professor of Economics, Lynchburg College (retired)

·         Roy L. Pearson, Ph.D. of Williamsburg, Professor Emeritus, Mason School of Business, College of William and Mary

·         Michelle Albert Vachris, Ph.D. of Virginia Beach, Professor of Economics, Christopher Newport University

·         Mark P. Vitner* of Charlotte, Managing Director, Senior Economist, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

·         Roy H. Webb, Ph.D.* of Richmond, Senior Economist and Policy Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

·         Gilbert R. Yochum, Ph.D.* of Virginia Beach, Dean, College of Business & Public Administration, Old Dominion University

Health and Human Resources

Board of Counseling

·         Scott Johnson, Ph.D. of Blacksburg, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Associate Professor and Director, Virginia Tech Marriage and Family Therapy Ph.D. Program

·         Sandra Malawer*, LCP, LMFT of Great Falls, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Director,  The Family Therapy Center

·         Joan Normandy-Dolberg, LPC of Fairfax Station, Director, Family Counseling of Springfield

·         Vivian Sanchez-Jones of Roanoke, School and Community Liaison for Immigrant Families, Commonwealth Catholic Charities

·         Holly J. Tracy, LMFT, LPC of Norfolk, Owner, Peace by Piece Psychotherapy, Ltd.

Family and Children’s Trust Fund, Board of Trustees

·         Frank Blechman of Fairfax Station, Organizational Consultant, state and local projects

·         Betty Wade Coyle* of Norfolk, Executive Director, Emeritus, Prevent Child Abuse Hampton Roads

·         Pamela F. Kennedy of Winchester, Intensive In-home Therapist, Northwestern Community Services

·         Kay Kovacs of Bristol, Past Executive Director, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Virginia

·         Judy Kurtz, PT, MPH of Virginia Beach, Independent Consultant, Past Executive Director, Virginia Beach Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, Inc.

·         Andria McClellan of Norfolk, Commissioner, Norfolk Planning Commission

·         Nikki Nicholau of Richmond, President, Nicholau & Associates, Past Director, Virginia Office on Volunteerism and Community Service

·         Lisa Specter-Dunaway*of Richmond, President/CEO  CHIP of Virginia

Independent

Virginia College Savings Plan

·         The Honorable Ross A. Mugler of Hampton, Commissioner of the Revenue, City of Hampton and President, Virginia Commissioners of the Revenue Association

Veterans

Virginia Military Advisory Council

·         Vivian W. Greentree, Ph.D. of Alexandria, Senior Vice President, Military and Veteran Affairs, First Data Corporation

·         Michael J. McCalip of Woodbridge, Fleet Master Chief (retired) and Owner/Principle, Modern World Technology

·         Terron Sims, II of Arlington, Sr Partner, Doug Pollard, LLC

*Denotes reappointment

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Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, USDA Officials, Hampton Roads Leaders Kick Off Summer Meals Service

. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, USDA Officials, Hampton Roads Leaders Kick Off Summer Meals Service and Announce PSA Campaign in Partnership with the Virginia Association of Broadcasters

Norfolk School District Recognized for Summer Meals Efforts

Norfolk, VA –A cafeteria full of students, parents and educators welcomed Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe and other officials to Coleman Place Elementary School today to officially kick off the start of the Summer Food Service Program in Virginia.

The First Lady also announced on Thursday a partnership with the Virginia Association of Broadcasters to run a year-long, hunger awareness campaign benefitting all seven regional food banks across the Commonwealth.  The campaign will begin by running Public Service Announcements throughout the summer on local television and radio stations across the state to raise awareness of the summer meals service.

The federal summer meals program helps low-income children get the healthy food they need when school is out. These free, healthy meals are available to children and teens ages 18 and under, but in Virginia, only 17.6 percent of children who receive a free or reduced-price lunch during the school year are participating in the summer meals program.

“For many children, summer is a time for friends, vacations, and carefree days in the sun. But for the millions of children and families who rely on school breakfast and lunch for meals, the summer months are a time of stress, anxiety and hunger when those meals disappear,” First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe said. “We are working with community partners and state agencies to help connect more kids with free meals this summer than ever before, and I am thrilled that the Virginia Broadcasters Association has offered to help raise awareness of this vital program.”

Also in attendance at the event were Congressman Bobby Scott, USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, Dr. Janey Thornton, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, Norfolk Superintendent of Schools Samuel King, and Fuel Up to Play 60 Ambassador, Everette Brown, who led the students in a fun physical activity.  June 5th was also officially recognized in Virginia as the kickoff to the Summer Food Service Program through a proclamation signed by Governor Terry McAuliffe.

“Research shows a lack of nutrition during the summer months may set up a cycle for poor performance once school begins,” USDA’s Dr. Janey Thornton commented. “We must do all we can to ensure that children get nutritious food year-round so that they are ready to learn during the school year and have greater opportunities for success.”

Mrs. McAuliffe, USDA officials, and the Virginia Departments of Health, Social Services, and Education have been coordinating with local partners to reach more children at risk of hunger by helping to promote school district participation in summer meals service and by coordinating outreach efforts to raise awareness of the program to families. These combined efforts have already produced significant increases in summer meal participation. Last year, 134 sponsors hosted 1,570 sites across the Commonwealth. This year, more than 170 sponsor applications have been submitted, including a 20 percent increase in participating school districts (48 to 58).

At today’s event, the First Lady also recognized the Norfolk School District for being a “Summer Meals Champion,” and presented School Nutrition Director, Helen Phillips, with a plaque and certificate. This will be Norfolk Public Schools' third year as a sponsor for the Summer Food Service Program. In 2013, NPS' School Nutrition Department managed 54 sites, and served 5,500 meals daily. Norfolk was among the largest sponsors in the state in 2013.

"Healthy, well-fed children are ready to learn," said Norfolk Public Schools Superintendent Samuel T. King. "Our School Nutrition Department understands this, and that department has worked tirelessly with state and federal agencies to ensure that children in Norfolk have access year round to foods of the very best quality and nutritional value. The Summer Food Service Program is a crucial part of that effort for Norfolk's children and families."

Efforts to raise awareness of the summer meals program in Virginia have included:  

·         First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe addressed a letter to School Superintendents across the Commonwealth asking them to consider providing summer meals in their communities

·         The Department of Social Services is coordinating with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign to promote summer meals program in 120 Social Services offices across Virginia

·         Outreach to local libraries has led to an increase in both summer meals awareness and the creation of several new summer service sites to be hosted at libraries across the state

·         Targeted Facebook ads will reach an audience of over 360,000 Virginians, informing them about a text service that connects families to summer meal sites in their area. Families can text ‘Food’ to 877-877, call 211, or dial 1-866-3 HUNGRY to locate the closest summer feeding site

Our Notes: If you can figure out what the above really means, and how it may but probably won't help you, by all means, let everyone else know.  It sounds more like a non working solutions that only sounds good to those who have set up the service than those who could potentially benefit from it.  A different thought would be to increase the food benefits to those who have the need?  Wait, that would actually make sense now would it not?  Another government solution with no meaning and your tax dollars hard at work against you?

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Governor McAuliffe Announces Decrease in Homelessness

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

– Overall homelessness decreases for another year in the Commonwealth -

RICHMOND – Governor McAuliffe announced today that overall homelessness in the Commonwealth has declined 7.9 percent in the last year, with a 10.8 percent decrease in family homelessness and 14 percent decrease in veterans homelessness, citing data collected by local Continuum of Care groups across Virginia and compiled by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

“Virginia is continuing to make strides in preventing and ending homelessness,” said Governor McAuliffe. “The Commonwealth pledges to continue to collaborate with all partners in order to decrease homelessness and reduce the numbers of Virginia citizens who live without a home.”

The ongoing reduction in homelessness can be largely attributed to the shift in focusing resources to rapid re-housing, moving people into permanent housing more quickly while providing appropriate services through community resources. The collaborative efforts of many at the state and local levels, including those involved in the Homeless Outcomes Coordinating Council, and working through private and public agencies and organizations, have provided the structure for this successful effort.

The Homeless Outcomes Coordinating Council, co-chaired by Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Bill Hazel and Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones is comprised of state agencies, representatives from continua of care and nonprofit providers. The council is charged with implementing the five strategies identified in the Homeless Outcomes Advisory Committee Report and Recommendations. The council maintains the interagency leadership and governance structure that has helped to establish decreasing homelessness as a priority at all levels of state government. It also establishes formal points of contact within state agencies that are providing support or services to citizens who are homeless. Executive and cabinet-level leadership have been critical to the success of the plan so far, as has the willingness of localities to implement and advance best practices and innovative strategies. 

“The Homeless Outcomes Coordinating Council has been a leading force at combating homelessness in Virginia,” said Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Bill Hazel. “We continue to evaluate our efforts and look for new strategies and resources to prevent and end homelessness in the commonwealth.”

The reductions in homelessness have resulted from shifting some state resources from traditional shelter services to rapid re-housing. Additional resources were provided in the FY2014 budget for rapid re-housing and permanent supportive housing. Funding through the Freddie Mac Foundation, a partnership between the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness and the commonwealth, has also helped transform Virginia’s approach to more effectively address homelessness. This collaborative initiative, in its third year of funding, focuses on rapid re-housing for families and emphasizes the importance of local partnerships to achieve success.

“Virginia’s housing and homeless needs are a major focus for the state,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones. “By working together and utilizing all of our resources, we are making a difference and continuing to reduce the number of people in Virginia who are homeless.”

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