Admiral to join Berkshire vets
Wednesday, Sept. 23
PITTSFIELD -- The nation's top ranking officer in the United States Armed Services will be in Pittsfield next month to support breaking ground on a new housing project for homeless war veterans.
On Oct. 29, Admiral Mike Mullen, a longtime naval man and current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will visit the future site of Soldier On's 39-unit limited equity project, which is expected to serve as a national model for transitioning homeless veterans to homeowners.
The project is the first of its kind.
"This has turned into the kind of event we never could have expected," said Jack Downing, president and chief executive officer of the Leeds-based nonprofit, Soldier On. "It validates the integrity and passion and way of life that we've developed for our veterans."
Since 1994, the Soldier On (formerly United Veterans of America) group has been helping homeless veterans by providing them shelter, counseling, job training and education.
In addition to its headquarters in Leeds, the organization currently operates a facility at 360 W. Housatonic St. and is planning to convert the former Optimum Care Nursing Home into a new $6.6 million Berkshire Veterans Village.
The two existing residences house between 70 and 120 people at any given time, and are managed by a council of homeless veterans.
The new transitional housing project will allow veterans the opportunity to purchase an equity share. The value of their share will be held in trust and will be available to them should they choose to move out, or it will become part of their estate. The housing units will be managed by the veterans who purchase equity in the apartments. While making their transition, veterans will also continue to have access to the support services Soldier On provides.
Mullen will be at the Pittsfield Plaza on West Housatonic Street on Thursday, Oct. 29, when a noontime ceremony is scheduled. Mullen will be joined by Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, ABC News war correspondent Bob Woodruff; Stephen Coyle, CEO of the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust; and Gordon Mansfield, former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as Soldier On members and local officials.
Later in the day, at a separate private dinner event, Mullen is scheduled to receive the Soldier On Award in recognition of his efforts to help homeless veterans. Local sculptor Andrew DeVries has been commissioned to create the award piece.