When Veterans Matter founder Ken Leslie was told a $750 deposit was all that was preventing four local chronically homeless veterans from being housed, with 31 more vouchers in the pipeline. Ken realized it was a simple problem with a simple solution: find money and pay the deposit to the landlord, pushing them over the threshold into that ready housing.
The next morning Ken called Barb Petee, an executive at ProMedica Health System, to get the $26,250 pilot funding from the Toledo Community Foundation’s ProMedica Advocacy Fund. With veterans waiting, he also asked her to waive the normal three month foundation due diligence process.
Seven days later, on Valentine’s Day at 5:36 pm, Barb called with full funding. Veterans Matter’s first veteran family was housed out of the family shelter three days later. Eleven days from idea to implementation.
Tune in this Sunday to hear Veterans Radio’s Jim Fausone interview Ken Leslie, founder of Veterans Matter. Ken tells us more about the program and how they help to keep homeless veterans off the streets and into homes. And much much more. Don’t miss this very important program.
