MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Tuesday morning, Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais announced the creation of a sustainability fund that will help homeless veterans requiring assistance with security deposits and application fees for housing as well as temporary winter emergency housing.
The announcement is part of Ruais’ initiative to end veteran homelessness in the city by January 2026, with the initiative serving as a template to discover best practices to help other subgroups of Manchester’s homeless population. Starting in September 2024, the initiative brings together ten local landlords and several other local groups led by Harbor Care. At the beginning of the initiative, Ruais reported 47 unhoused veterans living in the city at the September rollout of the initiative, a figure that is down to 28 this month.
The mayor hopes that the addition of this fund can help further accelerate the initiative’s goal of ending veteran homelessness in Manchester.
“Following the launch of the September initiative, seven different veterans’ groups stepped up, each raising $1,000 to support the city and Harbor Care’s efforts. I could not be prouder,” said Ruais. “The sustainability fund, in conjunction with the September initiative, will be an important tool to seeing the number of homeless vets go down even further. The fact that we have already reduced the number of unhoused heroes by 28 is incredible.”
“We are thrilled by the progress we are making on this incredibly important mission and the mayor’s leadership on this effort has been tremendous,” said Harbor Care CEO Henry Och. “The funds provided to us by the city will be very effective in helping veterans overcome housing barriers. These funds will be available to all
Veteran and former Alderman Mike Lopez praised the initial $7,000 raised for the sustainability fund, with $1,000 each coming from American Legion Post 2, American Legion Post 79, American Legion Post 43, Catholic War Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars Queen City Memorial Post 8214, Disabled American Veterans and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 18 member Bill Biser.
“Veterans helping veterans is the best way we can continue to support our fellow men and women who wore the uniform, especially for those who find them needing a place to live,” said Lopez. “It’s the least we owe them for their service and sacrifice to our country. This sustainability fund is going to make a real difference in so many lives.”