support for residents in need. Mis-
souri is the home to more than
500,000 veterans. About 1 percent
of those veterans are homeless.
put vets first," says Gary Busiek,
divisional social services director
for the Salvation Army Midland Di-
vision. "We were preparing the
plans for it at a time when the Mis-
souri Housing Development Com-
mission, our state housing finance
agency, was enacting a specific
guideline for certain special needs.
As it turned out, the Missouri Hous-
ing Development Commission se-
lected this development proposal for
homeless veterans as the number
one priority development that year
in Missouri as well."
needs of homeless veterans. Lt. Col-
onels Lonneal and Patty Richard-
son, leaders of the Army's Midland
Division and fellow officers, advi-
sory board members and staff pored
over blueprints and inspected the
construction site to ensure comfort
aspect of the 24 transitional and
24 permanent apartments, each of
which includes its own kitchen, bath-
room, bedroom and sitting area.
laundry facility and career center
with two full-time social workers.
It is located within walking distance
of the city's arts and entertainment
district, restaurants and employ-
ment opportunities. The U.S. De-
partment of Veterans Affairs has an
office in the community and pro-
vides onsite services at the resi-
dence, and provides staff to manage
the property as well.
tary operations and conflicts involv-
ing the nation throughout the 20th
century went on to swell the ranks
to us, and we are proud
to continue our service to
them for years to come.