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New federal program designed to help local homeless veterans

The federal government is giving a much needed helping hand to homeless veterans.

NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- The federal government is giving a much needed helping hand to homeless veterans.

The program by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is called "VASH"-- Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing. It's a voucher system to provide rental assistance for homeless veterans and their families.

Four Hampton Roads localities, James City County, Chesapeake, Newport News and Norfolk, received large checks totaling nearly $150,000. The funds will be used to help 20 homeless military veterans get back on their feet.

"Our nation's veterans deserve more than a life on the streets," said HUD District III Administrator Joseph DeFelice. "There is no greater responsibility than to end veteran homelessness, and make certain that those who have served have a home they can call their own."

Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center Chief of Staff Dr. Pricilla Hankins agreed.

"No veteran should be homeless and we have committed to this endeavor since this was rolled out years ago to end homelessness among veterans," she said. "It takes a team."

Nationally, HUD and the V.A. are committing $43 million to find permanent homes for homeless veterans. The money will be provided to 325 local public housing agencies across the country to help 5,200 homeless veterans.

"I am very grateful and thankful," said former Army Sergeant Oneika Loudon.

She became homeless in 2013, until she learned about the HUD-VASH program, through the Hampton V.A. She received a voucher and now has a home.

"What it did to me, it saved my life, and my children's' lives," she said.

There were 40,056 homeless veterans in the United States in 2017, according to a HUD report published last December. That was a one point five percent increase from the previous year and the first increase in seven years.

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