INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Both the Veterans Advisory Board in Sebastian and the Veterans Council of Indian River County are working to provide emergency and transitional housing for returning and homeless veterans.
Over the next five years, an estimated one million military personnel will return from service overseas to be discharged back into civilian life.
Of those, more than 80,000 are expected to arrive in Florida. How many will come to Indian River County remains to be seen.
Board Chair and Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander Jerry Piper said the Sebastian City Council tasked the board with finding ways to support and help veterans in their city – that’s why their work is separate from that of the Veterans Council.
To that end, the board is putting together a small group of local people with various business backgrounds to serve as a board of directors of a not-yet-created non-profit organization.
That group would be responsible for fundraising and administering the transitional facility. The members would also be tasked with coming up with the plans for the facility, the rules and regulations.
In the meantime, the advisory board is assessing a list of properties in and around Sebastian that might be available for purchase. The Sebastian City Council would have the final approval of any such purchase.
Such properties under consideration include three sites currently owned by Indian River County through foreclosures and close to major roads in Sebastian, including County Road 512 and US 1.
Two acres would be enough room on which to build the facility, have space for future expansion, and carve out an area for a vegetable garden, according to Sebastian resident Walt Payne, who is not a member of the board but is a staunch supporter of veterans.
He presented a list of potential sites at a prior meeting of the advisory board.
While Sebastian’s board is focusing its efforts in Sebastian, the Veterans Advisory Council is moving forward with its Community Blueprint project, a national effort to transition veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The council knows there are hundreds of non-profit groups in the county, but doesn’t know how many of those actively reach out to assist and support veterans.
While finding housing for homeless and incoming veterans is one of the efforts the council is undertaking, putting together a database of supporting organizations is the first step.
“We’re in a situation where we don’t know what we need,” said Veterans Council President Marty Zickert, during a meeting when he announced the latest endeavor to help veterans. “We’re going to figure it out.”
The council has hired Bernadette Rednour, who has been tasked with contacting the hundreds of churches and organizations, determining what, if any, help they can provide to veterans.
While the Veterans Council of Indian River County is seeking organizations to partner with, the Sebastian Veterans Advisory Board is seeking property owners who have land available.
Those who would like their property to be considered can reach Walter Payne, who compiled the initial list of properties for the board, by emailing payn792@comcast.net.
