New fund started to help homeless Veterans get jobs

Support Our Heroes Committee Members Dave Durkee, Veteran Ray Hallczuk, Justin Chenette, Colleen Spears, and Veteran Richard Litwin

SACO – Area Veterans who are currently in transitional housing or without a permanent address will soon be able to take free adult education courses thanks to a new fund started by a local nonprofit.
The Saco Bay Center for Civic Engagement announced Wednesday at the 7th annual VA2Walk at the Saco VA Clinic the start of the Support Our Heroes Fund through the Old Orchard Beach/Saco Adult & Community Education program.

The fund will offer homeless Veterans in Saco, Biddeford, and Old Orchard Beach at least one free course through the adult-ed program in business, skills training, trades, and computers/technology among others. The goal is to advance their skills in a particular area to gain employment opportunities in the ever-changing job market.
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“One Veteran homeless is one Veteran too many,” says Justin Chenette, President of the ‘center’. “We must do everything we can to get these heroes back on their feet with the support resources they deserve.” 

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The Arthur B. Huot House in Saco and the Veterans Career House in Biddeford, that both offer housing solutions for homeless Veterans, will provide information to those in their program.

$1,500 has been raised so far for the fund with local sponsors including Saco Valley Credit Union, Keep It Local Maine, and the Valentino/Scamman Real Estate Team at Berkshire Hathaway.

Those interested in obtaining a free course can contact Dave Durkee, program director at OOB/Saco Adult Ed, at 207-934-7922.
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To donate to the fund, you can visit http://www.sacobaycenter.org/support-our-heroes.html.