The organisation will support homeless veterans by providing short-term crisis accommodation and facilitating access to community support services such as employment agencies and allied health professionals.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Australia, 27 August 2024: Taskforce Veteran, an organisation supporting Australia’s 700,000+ past, current, and future veterans and their families, has secured emergency veteran accommodation in Cessnock, NSW.
The organisation will provide two houses located on the Calvary Cessnock Residential Aged Care site, each serving different functions to support the well-being of the veteran community.
The first house will provide free short-term crisis accommodation for a wide range of veterans. It will also provide a full range of amenities, including laundry facilities, communal entertainment spaces, basic food staples, some meals, and access to 24/7 support from Taskforce Veteran staff.
“The aim of this accommodation is to support veterans who have recently transitioned from the Australian Defence Force, or those who might be living in their cars or couch surfing while they look for employment,” said Brett Wild, Chairman and founder of Taskforce Veteran.
“By providing free, short-term accommodation and directly connecting them with community services, we hope to help veterans to get back on their feet during an extremely difficult time in their lives.”
Homelessness is a significant problem in the veteran community, with data indicating that 5,800 veterans experience homelessness every year.
Taskforce Veteran staff have seen first-hand the severity of this problem while working on the organisation’s Scheyville project, where they discovered that several veterans were sleeping rough in Scheyville National Park.
Unemployment challenges in the veteran community further compound the issue of homelessness. Data from the Veterans’ Employment Program reveals that one in three veterans are unemployed while 19% are not working in jobs that match their skills and qualifications.
With the first Cessnock house addressing the urgent need for veteran crisis accommodation, Taskforce Veteran will use the second house to address these challenges by connecting veterans with community support.
Mr Wild said there was also an urgent need for this type of accommodation in the Hunter Valley.
Taskforce Veteran plans to partner with education providers, employment agencies, health and wellness services, and local veteran groups, while also offering communal areas for veterans and their families to relax, reflect, and connect with the community.
Calvary Regional CEO, Northern NSW and Queensland, Luke Sams, said supporting Taskforce Veteran to provide essential crisis accommodation for Australia’s veterans transitioning back to civilian life was aligned with Calvary’s Mission of “being for others”.
“We are committed to compassion for the most vulnerable, and we hope our support through these two houses inspires other organisations to consider ways to assist such a worthy program,” Mr Sams said.
Founded in 2018, Taskforce Veteran is committed to raising awareness of veterans’ contributions, supporting their well-being, preserving military history, and modernising the sector to meet the evolving needs of the veteran community.
Anyone interested in offering any kind of support to the veteran housing project is urged to email Taskforce Veteran at: rachel@taskforceveteran.org.au
About Calvary
In 1885, six courageous Sisters sailed into Sydney to continue the mission of Venerable Mary Potter and the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary to care for those in need. Thus began Calvary’s enduring legacy of care in Australia. Today, we continue their mission, in our hospitals, home and virtual care services, retirement living and residential aged care homes across five states and two territories. For more information: www.calvarycare.org.au
