Boston Homes for the Brave Awards Ceremony Held at NECHV

The Boston Homes for the Brave Leadership Team hosted a City of Boston awards ceremony at the New England Center and Home for Veterans (NECHV) to recognize those who have gone above and beyond to house veterans experiencing homelessness in Boston as part of the city’s Homes for the Brave initiative.

Boston Homes for the Brave was born in June of 2014 when Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the City of Boston answered the “Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness” issued by First Lady Michelle Obama.  Boston Homes for the Brave brings together an unprecedented group of government and nonprofit agencies, all working in conjunction and committed to the ongoing effort to end veteran homelessness in the City of Boston.

During the ceremony, 29 frontline workers from both the government and nonprofit sectors were presented with Certificates of Appreciation signed by Mayor Walsh.  In addition, the following awards were presented:

•       Outstanding Individual, Government Agency: Liam Connolly, US Department of Veterans Affairs

•       Outstanding Individual, Non-Profit Organization: Edwin Melendez, formerly of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance

•       Outstanding Team: NECHV HUD-VASH Project Based Voucher Efficiency Unit Team (Brian Reeves and Carlton Johnson, NECHV; Lisa Masciulli and Gerald Christopher, US Department of Veterans Affairs)

“The Boston Homes for the Brave initiative is an extraordinary collaboration, working to ensure that no one who has served our country should have to sleep on the street,” said Mayor Walsh. “Those we honor exemplify the hard work and dedication of the public and private partners engaged in Homes for the Brave, which has housed 900 veterans to date and has led to the end of chronic veterans’ homelessness in the City of Boston.”

“The New England Center and Home for Veterans is proud to support and participate in Boston Homes for the Brave,” said NECHV President and CEO C. Andrew McCawley.  “Under Mayor Walsh’s leadership, it has been a privilege for NECHV to work hand-in-hand with our fellow members of Boston Homes for the Brave toward our shared goal of ending veteran homelessness.”

Created in 2014 in response to the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness issued by First Lady Michelle Obama, Boston Homes for the Brave comprises the following governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations:

•       Boston Healthcare for the Homeless

•       Boston Housing Authority

•       Boston Public Health Commission

•       Children’s Services of Roxbury

•       City of Boston Department of Neighborhood Development

•       City of Boston Office of Veterans’ Services

•       HomeStart Inc.

•       Massachusetts Department of Mental Health

•       Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services

•       Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance

•       Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness

•       New England Center and Home for Veterans

•       Pine Street Inn

•       Project Place

•       St. Francis House            

•       Technical Assistance Collaborative