Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed the phone number of USA Cares' Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP) manager David Keene. The error has been corrected. (March 17, 2024)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Veteran and military family support organization USA Cares is launching a program to help homeless veterans get back on their feet.

What You Need To Know

  • USA Cares is offering a program to help homeless veterans get back on their feet

  • This program helps the veterans it serves by offering individual case management for job training, housing assistance and more

  • USA Cares is seeking referrals this program

  • It serves veterans who mostly live in the western counties of Kentucky

Rick Carullo is a job readiness specialist. He's also a veteran himself, serving in the army for 30 years.

"I served all over," Carullo said. "I was in Korea, in Germany and Italy. I was in Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar. Did I say Israel?" 

Now, he's helping other veterans navigate a program it offers: the Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP). 

"I take that information, and I try to pair the person with the job that they can progress into," he said.

This program is funded through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, which provides support and resources to veterans experiencing homelessness or are at-risk of becoming homeless, including those living in cars, shelters, with friends and family or facing eviction from current housing.

"In order to help them with jobs, I have to get them into a position where they can actually go to a job," Carullo said.

Annice McEwan, communications and marketing manager, said this program helps the veterans it serves by offering individual case management for job training, housing assistance and more.

"This federal grant allows us to help homeless veterans, and that includes veterans," McEwan said. "When we say that, we want to emphasize it's not just veterans who are on the streets. It's veterans who maybe are seeing shelters, staying with friends and family, couch-surfing as the terms called or who are at risk of becoming homeless, who are facing eviction and they have to move out."

USA Cares said this federal grant program is $500,000 annually and renewed for three years. It is seeking referrals and serves veterans who live in the western counties of Kentucky.

More information about the HVRP can be found through program manager David Keene at 502-512-3219 or via email at david.keene@usacares.org.

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