A.G. Gancarski
A Republican Rep. Wyman Duggan request for funds to help a Jacksonville organization dedicated to helping unhoused populations appears in line to get funding in next year’s budget.
The House Supplemental Funding List shows $374,000 for the Five Star Veterans Center Homeless Housing and Reintegration Project, which as of now is Northeast Florida’s only housing community for disabled veterans and others who are struggling with reintegration to civilian society after their service has ended.
Five Star, which began 12 years ago amid acute needs in Jacksonville’s veteran-heavy population, claims a “specific focus on veterans aged 22-55 suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Depression, Anxiety and other related mental health issues.”
That designation would encompass many who have fought in the various Asian land wars of the last three decades, and the institution currently has 31 clients.
Per the Duggan funding request, residential living expenses for 40 residents would be funded at a total cost of $224,000, which covers “the cost of three meals per day, housing, and program activities” along with “Behavioral Health Assessment Instruments to capture veterans’ baseline symptoms and monitor progress in addressing the symptoms.”
An additional $100,000 would go to personnel costs, enabling the hiring of two full-time employees: a mental health counselor and a residential case manager.
The extra $50,000 would fund “equipment, program materials and supplies to support the Passport to Independence program,” including “assessment materials, tracking support projections and printing materials/equipment.”
Five Star has an arrangement with a nearby apartment complex, which per the funding request charges veterans under $900 for a two-bedroom unit.
“Rents in Jacksonville are extremely high,” the request notes.
The project is supported by a wide range of community stakeholders, including the City of Jacksonville, the Jaguar Foundation, Community Foundation of NE Florida, United Way of NE Florida, and various veteran nonprofits and American Legion posts.
