Homeless Vets on Veterans Day

Tomorrow, November 11, is Veterans Day. Tomorrow there will be over 100,000 vets living on the street with another 1.5 million at risk of being homeless. These veterans provided the rest of America with security; can't we return the favor?

America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq, and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone.

About 1.5 million other veterans are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.

Although flawless counts are impossible to come by – the transient nature of homeless populations presents a major difficulty – VA estimates that 107,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. Over the course of a year, approximately twice that many experience homelessness.

What can I do?

• Determine the need in your community. Visit with homeless veteran providers. Contact your mayor’s office for a list of providers, or search the NCHV database.
• Involve others.If you are not already part of an organization, align yourself with a few other people who are interested in attacking this issue.
• Participate in local homeless coalitions. Chances are, there is one in your community. If not, this could be the time to bring people together around this critical need.
• Make a donationto your local homeless veteran provider.
• Contact your elected officials. Discuss what is being done in your community for homeless veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) has founded a National Call Center for Homeless Veterans hotline to ensure that homeless Veterans or Veterans at-risk for homelessness have free, 24/7 access to trained counselors. 1-877-424-3838.

The fact that we give so much lip service to honoring our vets, how about we "honor" them with a place to live.

Information provided by the Veterans Administration and the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

And Castles Made of Sand Melt into the Sea…Eventually

Shored Up, the new documentary about the barrier islands of the U.S., featuring Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Surfers, scientists, politicians and residents help bring us a birds' eye view of the beauty and danger of the living in these low-lying communities on our ocean's edge.

Shored Up is a documentary that asks tough questions about our coastal communities and our relationship to the land. What will a rising sea do to our homes, our businesses, and the survival of our communities? Can we afford to pile enough sand on our shores to keep the ocean at bay? In Long Beach Island, New Jersey and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, surfers, politicians, scientists and residents are racing to answer these questions. Beach engineering has been our only approach so far, but is there something else out there to be explored? Our development of the coastlines put us in a tough predicament, and it’s time to start looking for solutions.

 

And Castles Made of Sand Melt into the Sea…Eventually

Shored Up, the new documentary about the barrier islands of the U.S., featuring Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Surfers, scientists, politicians and residents help bring us a birds' eye view of the beauty and danger of the living in these low-lying communities on our ocean's edge.

Shored Up is a documentary that asks tough questions about our coastal communities and our relationship to the land. What will a rising sea do to our homes, our businesses, and the survival of our communities? Can we afford to pile enough sand on our shores to keep the ocean at bay? In Long Beach Island, New Jersey and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, surfers, politicians, scientists and residents are racing to answer these questions. Beach engineering has been our only approach so far, but is there something else out there to be explored? Our development of the coastlines put us in a tough predicament, and it’s time to start looking for solutions.

 

And Castles Made of Sand Melt into the Sea…Eventually

Shored Up, the new documentary about the barrier islands of the U.S., featuring Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Surfers, scientists, politicians and residents help bring us a birds' eye view of the beauty and danger of the living in these low-lying communities on our ocean's edge.

Shored Up is a documentary that asks tough questions about our coastal communities and our relationship to the land. What will a rising sea do to our homes, our businesses, and the survival of our communities? Can we afford to pile enough sand on our shores to keep the ocean at bay? In Long Beach Island, New Jersey and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, surfers, politicians, scientists and residents are racing to answer these questions. Beach engineering has been our only approach so far, but is there something else out there to be explored? Our development of the coastlines put us in a tough predicament, and it’s time to start looking for solutions.

 

And Castles Made of Sand Melt into the Sea…Eventually

Shored Up, the new documentary about the barrier islands of the U.S., featuring Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Surfers, scientists, politicians and residents help bring us a birds' eye view of the beauty and danger of the living in these low-lying communities on our ocean's edge.

 

Shored Up is a documentary that asks tough questions about our coastal communities and our relationship to the land. What will a rising sea do to our homes, our businesses, and the survival of our communities? Can we afford to pile enough sand on our shores to keep the ocean at bay? In Long Beach Island, New Jersey and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, surfers, politicians, scientists and residents are racing to answer these questions. Beach engineering has been our only approach so far, but is there something else out there to be explored? Our development of the coastlines put us in a tough predicament, and it’s time to start looking for solutions.

 

Hiring our Heroes Toms River

Hiring our Heroes Veterans Event in Toms River

On October 22, 2011 from 9AM to 12PM, there is a hiring fair for veteran job seekers, active duty military members, Guard and Reserve members and eligible spouses at American Legion Post 129 in Toms River

This event will be a one-of-a-kind FREE hiring fair for both employers and job seekers.

Employers and job seekers must be pre-register for FREE at HoH.GreatJob.net.

This hiring is being conducted by the Toms River Ocean County Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion Post 129 as part of a larger effort by the US Chamber of Commerce and The American Legion to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. Other partners for this event include the Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training (DOL VETS) and the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) in New Jersey.

A complimentary breakfast will be served to all attendees.

On a personal note: Before becoming a REALTOR I worked for a campany that specialized in placing military officers and enlisted technicians with leading multi-national companies across the globe...some of those companies included General Electric, Siemens, Pfizer, General Motors, Johnson Controls, US Steel, Exelon, Schlumberger and many, many others

The results were stunning to some, but not to me; Every single one of those corporations that worked with us fell all over themselves marveling at the dedication and professionalism exbited by the candidates. As a matter of fact, when we did follow-ups a year later on former military individuals placed within those companies they had the lowest attrition rate any 'sub-group' they've EVER hired.

So, if you're an employer, do yourself a favor - Hire a Hero!

 

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park Could be Privatized

Though the Barnegat Lighthouse has stood as a beacon to sailors and beachgoers along the Jersey Shore for almost 150 years, the state's fiscal constraints might force a local agency to take control of the park.

During the last two weeks, a variety of groups, including the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce and the Borough of Barnegat Light, have expressed an interest in operating the Barnegat Lighthouse State Park. The state Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Parks and Forestry runs the park now.

During a recent Borough Council meeting, the council adopted a resolution asking the department, the agency that now runs the park, to consider turning over its management to a local group. Officials said the group would include municipalities on Long Beach Island and a variety of different civic groups that include the Friends of Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, a volunteer group that helps raise funds for the continued operation of the park.

State officials are willing to listen to any idea of outsourcing the operation of the park, but they are not just going to off-load the park, said Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the department.

Barnegat Light's interest in operating the park comes on the heels of representatives for the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce talking to state officials about the idea of running the park.

According to the chambers' plan, a fee would be charged for parking and entrance into the lighthouse. Reynolds said the fee would only be "a couple of dollars." Currently, there is a $1 fee to enter the lighthouse during the summer.

Officials said it would cost approximately $250,000 a year to run the park.

The idea of privatization of state parks is nothing new. In July 2010, a report issued by the New Jersey Privatization Task Force stated state officials should look into "long-term concession agreements for the operations and management of all state parks" as a way to save money.

Jeff Tittle, the executive director of the Sierra Club's New Jersey chapter, said the talk of privatizations shows state officials are interested in getting out of the parks business. The club is a non-profit group that seeks to protect public access.

Fifteen years ago, staffing was approximately 850 at state parks; now we are down 407 staff members. We are seeing a dismantling of the state park system.

Joseph Mancini, mayor of Long Beach Township, said the park should stay under the control of the either the borough or the Friends group. Information from: Asbury Park Press,http://www.app.com