Cigna Group Foundation Grants $9 Million for Veteran Housing, Mental Stability
Over 20 nonprofit veteran advocacy groups will receive $9 million over the next three years to address homelessness and mental health concerns in veterans.
veteran housing © Vitalii Vodolazskyi - stock.adobe.com
The Cigna Group Foundation will distribute $9 million over the next three years to 22 nonprofit organizations promoting veteran mental health and housing stability, the foundation announced in a news release today. This is the first year of their new grant program focusing on underserved populations including women veterans and veterans of color.
"After serving and defending our country, many of our nation's veterans struggle with long-term health conditions, including brain injuries, depression, and substance use disorders, all of which impact their ability to secure stable housing. Melissa Skottegaard, board chair of The Cigna Group Foundation said in the news release. “By addressing shelter, we can put veterans on a better path for their mental health."
Names of the 22 recipients include:
- U.S. Vets - Arizona
- Veterans Community Project
- Veterans Leadership Program
- Veterans Rebuilding Life
- Homes For Our Troops
These organizations will fulfill their housing goals by focusing on reducing evictions, connecting veterans to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs financial assistance programs, providing mental health case management services and offering employment re-entry training. Assistance will also be provided with mortgage and rental expenses as needed.
A few of the organizations will do so by utilizing the VA’s Housing First Model which prioritizes securing housing as quickly as possible. As a result, this approach reduces housing placement time from 285 days to 35 days and reduced emergency room use, when compared to veterans placed in the linear staircase housing system, where homeless individuals begin in emergency shelters and then transition to permanent housing based on their levels of success in sobriety programs.
The Cigna Group Foundation has been active for more than 50 years. In 2024, the foundation awarded $250,000 to Habitat for Humanity International to increase veteran homeownership opportunities through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing initiative.
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