The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released its 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, an annual assessment aimed at estimating the number of Americans, including veterans, who lack permanent housing. The findings are sobering: on a single night in January 2023, 35,574 veterans experienced homelessness in the United States. This represents a 7.4% increase from the previous year’s count.

As a nation, we have a moral obligation to ensure that those who have risked everything to defend our freedoms are not left behind.

In light of these numbers, it is imperative that we renew our commitment to caring for our veterans. This means providing not only immediate support, such as access to housing and healthcare, but also addressing the underlying issues that contribute to veteran homelessness, including mental health disorders, substance abuse, and economic hardship.

In this spirit, two upcoming events have been organized to honor and support our veterans in our communities.

The “Vietnam Era Veterans & Surviving Family Members: A Hero’s Welcome” ceremony, scheduled for May 4, provides an opportunity for the community to come together and express gratitude to those who served during a pivotal period in our nation’s history.

Likewise, the “Veteran’s Luncheon” hosted by the Ulster County Veteran Services Agency and the Town of Lloyd on May 16 underscores the importance of providing tangible support and resources to veterans in need.

These events serve as reminders that honoring our veterans is not merely a once-a-year gesture but an ongoing commitment that requires the collective effort of government, businesses, nonprofit organizations and individuals alike. Let us seize this opportunity to reaffirm our gratitude, our support and our dedication to ensuring that every veteran receives the care, respect and dignity they deserve.