Veterans transitional housing to open in Uniontown
Ken White, a 30-year veteran of Normalville came up with the idea years ago to provide temporary housing in Fayetter County for homeless veterans due to the lack of programs for veterans in the area. A house has been aquired and they hope with the help of the community they can do repairs and have the house ready by the winter time. White says it蘑菇视频 not a handout rather a 鈥榟and up鈥� to help homeless veterans get back on their feet.
Thalia Juarez | 蘑菇视频
Frank Wallace (left), Ken White, and Mike Meyokovich remove trash and other items left behind at 88 Lincoln St. on Saturday. Several veterans got together to begin the process of cleaning up and fixing the house that will become a transitional home for homeless veterans.
Vietnam veteran Mike Meyokovich of Uniontown rips old carpet from the stairs of the home on Lincoln St. in Uniontown that will become a transitional home for homeless veterans. With the help from the community and volunteers they hope to complete the house by winter time.
Ken White (left), a 30-year veteran of Normalville, and Ron Metros of Uniontown are working on personal funds, donations from the community and local businesses to repair a home they aquired through the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Uniontown to provide a temporary home for homeless veterans in the area. White and Metros say they are hoping to complete renovating the house with the help of the community by winter time to provide a temporary home for veterans going through rough times.
A grassroots effort is converting an abandoned Uniontown house to a place for homeless veterans to rebuild their lives, which could prove to be a model for other similar houses in the region.
Community volunteers are gutting and remodeling the seven-bedroom house at 88 Lincoln St. to create the Billeting, named for temporary housing assigned to military members.
鈥淥ur philosophy is a hand up, not a handout,鈥� said Ken White of Normalville, who spearheaded the project with Ron Metros of Uniontown.
The Uniontown Redevelopment Authority, which previously owned the house, granted a deferred mortgage for the project. Metros said neighbors are already thanking them for their work on the property, which, until recently, was overgrown with weeds and filled with trash.
Metros contacted local politicians who plan to raise funds for the project. He said he was dismayed there were no government grants available for veterans transitional housing.
鈥淚f you come out of jail, you have halfway houses,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here蘑菇视频 nothing for veterans.鈥�
Both men have personal interest in the project. White served with the Coast Guard for 30 years. While Metros is not a veteran, he was the legal guardian for his uncle, a disabled Korea War veteran.
White said there are about 200 homeless veterans in the Uniontown area, and the nearest program similar to Billeting is in Allegheny County.
鈥淣ormally, with a veteran, you鈥檙e not going to find someone who is chronically indigent,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to find someone who has come on hard times.鈥�
One veteran the two encountered through their service in Rolling Thunder was a local man whose house burned down after he was robbed by relatives.
鈥淭he only thing he had in his bank account was about a dollar,鈥� Metros said. 鈥淗e should have had a bit of cash squared away, but that all went up in smoke.鈥�
Frequent encounters with similar situations drove the men to provide a solution.
Metros and White will work to form a board comprised of community leaders. They are working to acquire 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
Veterans using the service will be required to actively seek employment. Their stays will be limited. Board members will evaluate each veteran on a case-by-case basis. The early 20th-century house will host about eight veterans at one time.
They plan to find veterans by word of mouth, through local organizations and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
鈥淭here蘑菇视频 definitely more than enough need,鈥� Metros said.
Metros and White plan to have the house complete for the winter months.
Once the facility is functional, the only costs will be utilities and maintenance, which they estimate will cost between $500 and $800 per month.
Their goal is to have a veteran manage the facility from an attic apartment.
Veterans will meet their own daily needs, such as cooking and cleaning.
The pair said many people have volunteered for work at the house. Miller Electric Co. of Uniontown, Whitby Inc. plumbing and heating of Uniontown, and the Society of Brothers in Farmington are offering contracting services. Medi Home Health agreed to send nurse practitioners for regular visits to check the veterans staying in the home. C&J Welding and Construction Services in Smithfield also made a large contribution, Metros said.
What the men need most to meet their goals, they said, are materials. Metros said many of the volunteers are paying those costs themselves. They anticipate completing the structure will require about $35,000 to $50,000 in materials.
鈥淵ou always hear about local people wanting to help local veterans. Well, here蘑菇视频 the chance,鈥� Metros said. 鈥淭heir money is going to work here. They鈥檒l be able to drive down the street and see it.鈥�
Donations can be sent to United Veterans of Fayette County, P.O. Box 174, Uniontown, PA, 15401.