News Releases
Thomas Wynn recalled as 'visionary'
in veterans affairs
By ALICE CHANG - Posted: Nov. 6, 2004
 National
veterans' rights activist Thomas H. Wynn, Sr. died Friday,
November 5, 2004, after a 15-month bout with kidney
cancer. Wynn, 73, a Whitefish Bay resident, helped establish
the National Association
for Black Veterans and the Center for Veterans Issues,
both based in Milwaukee. "He was a visionary," said
Robert Cocroft, chief executive officer of the Center.
"He had the utmost integrity." Born in New York and
raised in Portsmouth, Va., Wynn attended Virginia Union
University in Richmond. He served with the U.S. Army
in Fairbanks, Alaska, during the Korean War era, said
his wife, Kay Shellestad. After the war, Wynn worked
a number of jobs, from driving buses to selling insurance,
said Jill Ralian, director of operations at the Center.
Then Wynn took a job counseling veterans at the University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
"He started noticing a lot of returning
vets who were disenfranchised were minority," said Shellestad,
a retired high school Spanish teacher. He got together
with a few Vietnam veterans to start the two veterans
groups which now have offices nationwide, she said.
Wynn worked and volunteered 6 1/2 days a week. He was
employed full time at the Social
Development Commission working with veterans and
also served on an advisory panel that testified before
President Clinton a number of times concerning veterans'
issues. He retired from the SDC in July. Shellestad
remembered he always took a canvas bag with him to the
White House. "He didn't carry a briefcase," Shellestad
recalled. "We laughed a little about that. His favorite
(bag) was bright red. With all these lawyers, Thomas
would pull papers out of his canvas bag."
Former co-workers spoke of his dynamic
personality and compassion. "A lot of times, he would
upset people by bending rules to help veterans," Ralian
said. "He believed in trying to make the program fit
around the veteran. It was the one thing that drove
people nuts about him and the one thing that people
loved about him." Wynn's passion was to serve minority
and homeless veterans. "He was a dreamer," Shellestad
said. "He wouldn't say no. He always made other people
believe things could be done and did them." Wynn is
survived by his wife, Shellestad, and seven children
- Cynthia, Thomas Jr. and Spencer Wynn, and Hillary
Wynn Beavers, Worthington Aaron, Dayna Ward and Dynnea
Walls, all of Milwaukee. "He was my strength," Shellestad
said. "He was the love of my life. I respected him more
than any other person I know." Other survivors include
13 grandchildren.
A service will be held at the Milwaukee
County War Memorial Center on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Department of Labor Announces HVRP
Grant Awards
Posted: 7/1/2004
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
has announced $17 million in grants to train and employ
homeless veterans. The grants were awarded under the
Department of Labor's Homeless
Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP). New Grantees
were awarded $6.7 million in 16 states, and current
program grantees received $10.3 million in second-year
funding.
Two HVRP grant awards were allocated to
the State of Wisconsin. Both were for facilities owned
and operated by the Center for Veterans Issues - VETS
Place Central (Milwaukee, WI) and VETS
Place Southeast (Racine, WI).
"Through the department's Homeless Veterans
Reintegration Program, about 12,000 American veterans
across 31 states will receive $17 million in funding
for occupational training, education, placement assistance
and other key services," Secretary Chao said. "President
George W. Bush and I are dedicated to making sure that
no veteran is left behind." HVRP expedites the reintegration
of homeless veterans into the labor force. The grants
provide homeless veterans with job training and placement
assistance. The Department of Labor's Veterans Employment
and Training Service (VETS) expects that more than
8,000 homeless veterans will gain employment as a result
of these grants. Funds are awarded on a competitive
basis to state and local workforce investment boards,
local public agencies, and nonprofit organizations,
including faith-based and community organizations, which
have familiarity with the area and population to be
served and can administer an effective program. HVRP
has been recognized nationwide as an extraordinarily
efficient program and is the only federal program that
focuses exclusively on employment of veterans who are
homeless.
Permanent Housing in Racine for
Homeless Veterans
Posted: 1/4/2004
In late spring of 2003, the Center for
Veterans Issues Ltd., of Milwaukee, acquired two large
apartment buildings in Racine following a two-year planning
and search effort. Using Federal, State of Wisconsin
and private funds, these 34 units will be another significant
permanent residential resource for disabled, low income
veterans and others needing clean, safe, and affordable
housing. Located on College Avenue, near downtown Racine,
these units will give veterans who have completed special
assistance programs, the choice to live in refurbished,
one-bedroom units in a safe neighborhood with shopping
and public transportation nearby. A number of the units
will be designated so that a low or limited income veteran
will pay no more than 30% of their income for the monthly
rent.
Also, because of a federal grant approved
earlier, food, laundry, transportation and special counseling
services will be available to those men or women that
need certain support services to live independently.
To make this project work, CVI needed local assistance
to set up and outfit several of the apartments. Many
of the formerly homeless vets who complete a transitional
living program have gained help with physical, legal,
mental health, addiction or other serious issues. But,
they do not have the ability to pay for or acquire furniture,
appliances, bedding, kitchenware, curtains, or any of
the many items that everyone has in their home when
they return to the community of their choice. One of
the organizations that has been a strong supporter of
veterans assistance efforts in Southeastern Wisconsin
is VFW Post 9948 of Sturtevant. Over the years, these
men and women have donated coffee, supplies, clothing,
appliances, equipment, even cash to help the veterans.
When asked what else was needed for our program, the
idea of outfitting and furnishing one of the new independent
permanent apartments was discussed.
After reviewing the plan the membership
of Post 9948 agreed to sponsor one of the apartments.
After visiting the building and talking to CVI staff
and counselors, they took the challenge of getting whatever
would be needed to have the unit ready to move into
by one of the grateful and successful vets. In December
2003, the first veteran moved into the apartment. This
disabled vet was pleased and proud to be an example
of a partnership program that really honors our wounded
vets and helps them become successful and independent
again.
VA Announces
Homeless Program Awards
Posted: 11/2/2003
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) today identified recipients of
approximately $12.5 million in grants as part of VA's
Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. Recipients
are community and faith-based organizations, as well
as state, local and Indian tribal governments that provide
critical services to homeless veterans. "These awards
demonstrate President Bush's commitment to ending chronic
homelessness in America," said Secretary of Veterans
Affairs Anthony J. Principi. "VA is proud of its role
in combating homelessness. I am confident that these
grants will improve the lives of many veterans in their
time of need." Thirty-eight programs in 25 states have
been named to share $8.5 million in grants. These grants
will assist community-based agencies acquire, renovate,
or build transitional housing facilities, provide supportive
services for homeless veterans and purchase vans for
outreach to or transportation of homeless veterans.
The awards will support opening 451 beds, one independent
service center and one service center operating in conjunction
with supportive housing.
The Center for Veterans Issues was one
of the 2003 Homeless Veterans Program Life Safety grant
award selectees. VETS Place Central
is the only VA
Homeless Coordinator in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Twenty-six organizations will receive
funds to purchase 33 vans. Priority for the grants was
given to Indian tribal governments and organizations
in states without veteran-specific programs. Five awards
were to providers in four of the targeted states. Those
programs are located in Alaska, Montana, New Hampshire
and North Dakota. Two grants were awarded to organizations
associated with Indian tribal governments. For the first
time, VA is also providing grants to community-based
agencies for renovations needed to comply with requirements
of the Life Safety Codes of the National Fire Protection
Association, which must be met by 2006. VA has awarded
more than $4 million to 28 programs for sprinkler and
alarm systems or other safety-related structural changes.
Individual awards range from about $14,600 to nearly
$700,000.
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