Tampa Crossroads, Inc.

Veteran’s Assistance Center Food and Transportation Assistance

Tampa Crossroads has over 40 years’ experience serving veterans in their community experiencing homelessness in Hillsborough County, Florida. However, a lack of transportation and food has become a significant barrier to veterans completing their programming and achieving stability and personal goals. Transportation to job interviews and professional training classes, to appointments for medical services, and/or to help them obtain proper identification and other necessary documentation is essential for veterans to achieve and maintain a stable, housed, life. Furthermore, many of the veterans in Tampa Crossroads’ care face challenges in accessing food, which leads to a high level of stress and decreased general health. This interferes with the ability to participate in and benefit fully from Tampa Crossroads’ programs. Unfortunately, most federal funding sources do not provide allowances for the purchase of bus passes and food. The goal of this grant, made possible with thanks to the Wells Fargo Foundation, is to provide bus passes and food assistance to 40 COVID-19 post-9/11 impacted veteran/military households who are enrolled in rapid rehousing programs, to ensure they have their basic needs met and maintain access to additional services. With this BWF funding, Tampa Crossroads will provide 1,600 days’ worth of food and almost 6,500 days of bus passes, to better serve  veterans at risk of homelessness.