Contributed Report
Katy Christian Ministries is one of 20 organizations that accepted grant money from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance for providing services to Gulf Coast area veterans and their families.
Kevin Barber, of Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, presented the grant money to these organizations, totaling $5.45 million, on Tuesday.
The Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) Gulf Coast Region is a multicounty area ranging from Walker County in the north to Matagorda County in the south, and Colorado County in the west to Chambers in the east.
KCM accepted a $200,000 general assistance grant. The money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Fort Bend, Harris and Waller Counties with financial assistance services.
Texas Veterans Commission commissioners approved these grant awards in May as part of an overall grant program providing 139 grants, totaling over $31.47 million to over 120 organizations across Texas and estimated to serve more than 22,000 veterans.
Since 2009 through the current 2022-2023 grant cycle, over $234 million in grant funding has been awarded through 1,100 FVA grants, serving an estimated 400,000 Texas veterans and their family members.
“We thank the members of the Texas Legislature for creating this grant program in 2009, and their continued support of all Texas veterans and their families,” TVC Chairwoman and Navy veteran Laura Koerner said.
The grants support a wide range of services from emergency financial assistance to transportation, legal services to family support services and home modification to rental and mortgage assistance. The commission awards grants in five categories: general assistance, housing for Texas heroes, veterans’ mental health grants, veterans’ treatment courts and veteran county service officers.
Funding for these grants is generated primarily by the Texas Lottery Commission’s games designated for veteran support. Other sources of funding for the grants come from individual donation options on drivers’ licenses, licenses to carry a handgun, outdoor recreation licenses for hunting and fishing, and vehicle registrations.
Veterans needing assistance can find the organizations providing help in their area and how to contact them at tvc.texas.gov/grants/assistance/.
Other grant recipients and their services include:
- Liberty County Veteran Services accepted a $50,000 veterans county service office grant to provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Liberty County with financial assistance services.
- Houston Volunteer Lawyers accepted a $150,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans and surviving spouses in 17 counties across the FVA regions with pro bono legal services.
- Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels accepted a $200,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Fort Bend and Waller Counties with supportive services.
- Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Program accepted a $200,000 veterans treatment court grant. This money will provide veterans in Montgomery County with veterans; treatment court services.
- Northwest Assistance Ministries accepted a $200,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Walker and Waller counties with financial assistance services.
- Galveston County is accepting a $250,000 veterans treatment court grant. This money will provide veterans in Galveston County with veterans’ treatment court services.
- Grace After Fire accepted $250,000, which includes two grants. A general assistance grant will provide veterans, and veteran dependents in 26 counties across four FVA regions with financial assistance services. A veterans mental health grant will provide veterans and veteran dependents in 26 counties across four FVA regions with peer support services.
- Hope for the Warriors accepted a $250,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in 254 counties with financial assistance services.
- Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston accepted a $250,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Liberty and Montgomery counties with supportive services.
- Cenikor Foundation accepted a $300,000 veterans mental health grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in 128 counties across four FVA regions with clinical counseling services.
- Family Houston accepted a $300,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Montgomery, and Waller Counties with financial assistance services.
- Fort Bend County accepted a $300,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Fort Bend County with financial assistance services.
- Harris County Veterans Services Department accepted a $300,000 veterans county service office grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Harris County with financial assistance services.
- Houston Area Urban League accepted a $300,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in 13 counties across this region with financial assistance services.
- Lone Star Legal Aid accepted a $300,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in 72 Counties across four FVA regions with Pro Bono Legal Services.
- Meals on Wheels Montgomery County accepted a $300,000 general assistance grant. This money will provide veterans in Montgomery County with supportive services.
- S. VETS-Houston accepted $400,000, which includes two grants: A veterans mental health grant will provide veterans in Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, and Montgomery counties with clinical counseling services. A general assistance grant will provide veterans in Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, and Montgomery counties with homeless veterans’ support services.
- Easter Seals Greater Houston accepted $450,000, which includes two grants. A general assistance grant will provide veterans in 19 counties across two FVA regions with financial assistance services. A veterans mental health grant will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in 43 counties across two FVA regions with clinical counseling services.
- Rebuilding Together Houston accepted a $500,000 housing for Texas Heroes grant. This money will provide veterans in Harris County with home modification services.