MILWAUKEE — For Andre Parker, meeting his neighbor David Seegert last year was a serendipitous moment. Parker, a new resident of the unit below Seegert, recalls their first encounter fondly.
“The first day we met, we got along like peaches and cream,” Parker said.
Both men, military veterans, quickly realized they shared more than just a building. They both overcame homelessness with the assistance of the Center for Veterans Issues through its program, Operation Turning Point, which provides permanent housing support specifically for veterans with disabilities.
“They [CVI] have done a world of wonders for anybody that they come in contact with within Operation Turning Point,” Seegert said.
For the past 13 years, Operation Turning Point has helped more than 120 veterans rebuild their lives; however, a sudden cut in federal funding has thrown the program into jeopardy.
Watch: Dozens of veterans face uncertainty as local housing program loses funding
Dozens of veterans like Parker and Seegert are now facing uncertainty.
Gregory Fritsch, president of CVI, revealed that the organization was informed in January that it lost its federal funding in December—a development that caught them off guard.
“We had been told that funding would continue. It was out of the blue; we didn’t expect it,” Fritsch said.
In light of the funding loss, CVI is exploring various avenues to secure housing for the veterans they serve. Fritsch emphasized that the goal is not just to rehouse the veterans but to find other organizations that specialize in homelessness willing to take over their leases. As of now, 11 leases have been covered by partner organizations, but that still leaves 22 veterans facing homelessness by the end of April.
This leaves Parker and Seegert at a crossroads. Seegert, who has two special needs children, said, “This is not an emotional thing that we need to have at this point in time in our lives.”
Meanwhile, Parker expressed disbelief at the sudden change in fortune: “Everything started to work itself out, and now this bomb is dropping again,” he said.
CVI case managers are working tirelessly to identify additional solutions, as Fritsch reiterated the urgency of the situation.
“The last thing anybody wants is for any of these people to hit the streets again and to become homeless again,” he said.
As these veterans await news, their hopes remain high. “I hope that they can come to a solution for us veterans,” Parker said.
Seeger added this reminder: “Take care of the people who took care of you first.”
The future of Operation Turning Point and the veterans it supports now hangs in the balance, as they await assistance and solutions from the community.
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