Rally calls for end to veterans’ poverty

Assemblymember Landon Dais is making a statewide push to end poverty among veterans, especially among Black and Brown veterans, who are more prone to experience homelessness and unemployment after their service.

The Veterans Data Central (VDC) estimates that there are more than 600,000 veterans in New York State, based on data from 2019 to 2023. About 8% of the state’s veterans live in poverty and 5% are unemployed, according to the VDC. There are about 67,000 Black veterans in the state, which is about 11% of the state’s veteran population, said VDC.

This year, the Trump administration made federal cuts to jobs in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Veterans Crisis Line, as well as to veteran benefits like food assistance and Medicaid.

“In the grand scheme of things, 65% of veterans are doing very well, but the other 35% are struggling,” said Dais, whose father was a veteran. “Mental health issues, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), houselessness … [If] we can solve some issues, that means that’s helping quality of life issues, that is making our streets safer and cleaner, and it’s also making sure those who served our country are in a more secure place.”

Black veterans experience higher rates of discrimination and bias during their time in the armed forces, and aren’t promoted to higher rankings as often as their white counterparts, according to the Black Veterans Project. They also face stark racial disparities relating to veteran’s homelessness, joblessness, and mental health services.

Dais said his aim is to raise awareness about poverty among veterans to secure a budget increase for veteran resources to about $50 million per year. He has also introduced several bills to address these issues, such as Bill A6504, which would create a veteran career assistance program in the SUNY and CUNY school systems; Bill A6503, which would establish a database of resources for vets; and Bill A8089, which creates a service member law book.

Ariama C. Long photos

“I salute all of the men and women in our military, and thank you for all your incredible service. Know that we appreciate you for all [that] you sacrifice,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson. “Know that it is an incredible sacrifice to give of yourself to defend our country, our democracy, our freedom, our liberty, everything we are afforded as Americans. We do it on the backs of our veterans. We say, thank you, thank you, thank you. We can never thank our veterans enough.”

In terms of service era, the VDC reported that a majority of New York’s World War II and Korean War veterans are dwindling. Those who fought in Vietnam and Gulf War I have reached their 70s and 80s, and veterans involved in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts are in their 30s and up.

“It’s important that we conquer poverty in the veteran community because it’s only conducive to bringing good social morale into the country,” said Veteran Action Now Founder Kevin C. Meggett, who served during the first Gulf War in 1991. He was disappointed that more of the mayoral candidates running in this year’s race to replace current Mayor Eric Adams didn’t launch a platform that addressed veteran’s issues.

“This is about veterans, this is about our families, this is making sure that a nation that claims to be grateful does its part to make sure that we can come home in peace [and] be able to stand up and take care of our families and live our lives with a degree of dignity,” said Navy Veteran Thomas Sheppard, a former elected member on the city’s Panel for Educational Policy (PEP).

Dais held a “End Veteran Poverty” community event and resource fair in Joyce Kilmer Park in the Bronx on September 30, in partnership with the National Association for Black Veterans (NABVETS), Veterans Action Now, Arc of Justice, Essen Health Care, Bronx Treatment Center, Black Vets for Social Justice, National Action Network, and chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee Steve Stern.

The resource fair also provided onsite health screenings, access to fresh food with free Health Bucks, voter registration, and educational opportunities for veterans with Fordham University and Lehman College.

“We’re shown that education is a power to do things. Confidence is the first thing that they instill in us, but then they give us education and skills after that to go along with it, and that encourages a lot of us to go in and achieve a higher education,” said Army veteran Jordan Folk. “The Soldier for Life program when you leave [military service] encourages you to go to college. I would highly recommend people to take this step.”

A Midwest native, Folk worked as a signals and intelligence analyst post-9/11. He finished his service bid in 2020 and decided to attend Fordham through its Yellow Ribbon program, which is supported by Post-9/11 GI Bill (PGIB) funding or Chapter 33.

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