words for warmth

Words for Warmth

A Reading Project to Support Homeless Veterans in New Haven

For many, Autumn in New England is a warm prelude to the winter holiday months. We turn up the heat, light a fire in the woodstove, and wrap a fleece blanket around our shoulders as we settle into the evening hours, curled up with a favorite book.

For scores of veterans returning from the present wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this cozy scene is not merely idyllic, it is inconceivable. The bite in the air signifies the reality of winter and all of its foreboding uncertainties: for many veterans, the season is a sobering reminder that a warm bed and a stable support system remain, for the present, elusive luxuries.

Reading for Relief

How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book. ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden

How can books help provide relief from the cold? From now until Veteran’s Day (Wednesday, November 11), 0ur team of motivated young students will be raising funds for the Homefront, a refuge for veterans returning from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, by reading books—lots of books! By pledging your support, you can help them reach their goal of $250.00, all of which will go toward helping the Homefront open its doors in January.

And best of all, when you make a donation to the read-a-thon, you not only provide funding for the Homefront; you also promote literacy!

For more information, or to make a donation, contact:

Tricia Dowcett tdowcett@gmail.com

Lori Ouellette lori1026@gmail.com

Joanne Dragunoff jodragun@gmail.com

Ann Bickell abickell@hotmail.com

Please support our team with a pledge. Winter is fast approaching, and our returning soldiers need our help. Together, we can help those who sacrificed so much for us.

What is the Homefront?

The Homefront is a house, a refuge for veterans returning from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who have nowhere to go and need support and reconnection.

Veterans can live at the house for up to two years as they address the causes of their homelessness. The house is divided into apartments where the men will live together and receive support from both trained staff and each other.

The Homefront's goals include:

• Providing stable housing
• Encouraging veterans to pursue higher levels of education and vocational training
• Fostering self-determination
• Reintegrating veterans back into their communities
• Freeing up space in the already overcrowded shelters

For more information on the Homefront, please visit www.columbushouse.org.