{"id":4575,"date":"2026-05-12T15:52:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T15:52:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/?p=4575"},"modified":"2026-05-12T15:54:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T15:54:39","slug":"the-power-of-a-trusted-voice-in-helping-homeless-veterans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/the-power-of-a-trusted-voice-in-helping-homeless-veterans\/","title":{"rendered":"The power of a trusted voice in helping homeless Veterans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull va-page-title-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-179 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/academic-affiliations\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/05\/Hero2.png?w=1024\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#085795\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading alignwide has-text-align-left\">New on VA News<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"va-body-wrapper wp-block-create-block-body-wrapper\"><div class=\"va-body-wrapper__inner\">\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide va-intro-page va-intro-page-1 is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The power of a trusted voice in helping homeless Veterans<\/h2>\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #0073aa\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-colored-spacer has-0073-aa-background-color has-background\"><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>By Shawn Liu, National Homeless Program Manager, VHA Homeless Programs Office<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>May 12, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-container-content-c00f5982\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1621\" height=\"913\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2026\/05\/wordofmouth.png\" alt=\"Two older men sit on a park bench in a sunny, tree-filled setting. They are engaged in a friendly conversation about helping homeless Veterans, both smiling and relaxed.\" class=\"wp-image-4578\" style=\"width:900px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2026\/05\/wordofmouth.png 1621w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2026\/05\/wordofmouth.png?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2026\/05\/wordofmouth.png?resize=768,433 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2026\/05\/wordofmouth.png?resize=1024,577 1024w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2026\/05\/wordofmouth.png?resize=1536,865 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1621px) 100vw, 1621px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide va-intro-page va-intro-page-1 is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can be heartbreaking to watch a Veteran you care about struggle with homelessness. You want to help, but you might feel like you don\u2019t have the right expertise or resources to change their situation. Thankfully, the most powerful tool you have doesn\u2019t cost a dime: your voice. A few words of encouragement or a recommendation from a trusted friend or family member can carry a tremendous amount of weight and power\u2014sometimes enough to inspire a Veteran experiencing homelessness to take the first step toward getting help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-container-content-c00f5982\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-blue-icon-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/146595\/power-trusted-voice-helping-homeless-veterans\/\" rel=\"noopener\">View the full article on VA News<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-container-content-c00f5982\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:0px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-container-content-6388d5dc\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools in ending Veteran homelessness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":201,"featured_media":4578,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"priority":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[29,41],"class_list":["post-4575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-va-news","tag-one-team","tag-outreach"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/the-power-of-a-trusted-voice-in-helping-homeless-veterans\/","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The power of a trusted voice in helping homeless 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