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Project to help homeless veterans in Fredericton gets new funding

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FREDERICTON -

Fredericton Homeless Shelters Inc. are getting a boost from the, federal government's Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund.

Today they announced $40,000 dollars to aid homeless veterans in the city.

"Many people who leave the military do not need help with the transition but if they do it's so important for the country to make sure that help is there," said Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.

The money is only targeting a portion of the city's homelessness problem, set aside specifically for veterans.

"It's to help support the vet through that process of you ring the doorbell you're at crisis through stabilization, connections and then into your permanent housing, it can be a quick process as quick as 60-90 days or it can be a really complex long process," said Warren Maddox, Executive Director at Fredericton Homeless Shelters Inc.

Following the closing of the Phoenix Learning Centre drop in space for homeless people due to Fredericton zoning regulations.

Scott Earle, the coordinator of the centre, has spent his time working in the community and hopes to find a new location.

He says any money put towards the homeless community is a good cause.

"Veterans are close to my heart I'm a veteran myself so when you see one of your brothers in arms on the street there's just no need for it, I mean we had to close Phoenix we knew that, but any step in the right direction to get the homeless off the streets is in the right direction for me," said Earle.

Liberal MP for Fredericton Jenica Atwin lives in Oromocto near CFB Gagetown and says she hears about challenges first hand.

"It's about filling gaps we know that the response time between Ottawa and here at home might be longer than what's needed for someone in an immediate crisis." said Atwin.

Fredericton Shelters Inc. has three locations in the city.

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