Homeless veterans awareness, Milwaukee-area groups aim to help

MILWAUKEE - While Veterans Day marks a time to celebrate those who served, it also brings awareness to end veteran homelessness.

"These are America’s warriors. They are the ones that ensure we enjoy all the freedoms," said Quentin Hatfield, a Vietnam veteran and executive director of Wisconsin Veterans Network.  

Hatfield said too many veterans across Wisconsin find themselves sleeping on the streets they fought to protect. 

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"I think it’s a travesty we have homelessness in this country," he said.

The nonprofit Wisconsin Veterans Network helps those who served navigate the barriers they may face when it comes to benefits and housing.

Smokey Woods barbeque fundraiser for the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative

"It's our job to remove those barriers, especially when there is a crisis or an impending crisis facing a veteran or their family," said Hatfield.

Hatfield said, according to the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, there are around 350 to 400 veterans experiencing homelessness on any given day. In Milwaukee alone, it's estimated one in every four people experiencing homelessness is a veteran. That's according to the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative.

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This Veterans Day, community members did their part to help make sure every veteran has a safe place to call home. Smokey Woods hosted a barbeque fundraiser for the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative. Owner Derek Taylor said it's our duty to help those who put their life on the line. 

"We are indebted to our veterans who have paved the way for us," said Derek Taylor, owner of Smokey Woods. "To be able to have the freedom we have and do the things that we are doing…It’s time for us to focus on those men and women."