Over half a million dollars was designated for a new hyper-local initiative to connect veterans with critical services in the recently-passed city budget for Fiscal Year 2025.
Approximately 250,000 veterans reside in the five boroughs. However, according to the NYC Department of Veterans Services (DVS), there is a significant gap between the number who receive federal benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and those who live in NYC—just 16.5%—compared to the national average of 27.8%.
The $540,000 in designated funds will go towards embedding qualified veterans into all 51 local city council offices to help other veterans and their families navigate the services available to them. At least once a month, a DVS Care Coordinator will set up shop at every city council member’s district office to meet with residents and, hopefully, veterans.
City officials hope that the free offering will help increase the number of veterans receiving VA benefits. The coordinators can also help veterans find housing, legal assistance and mental health services through city programs.
James Hendon, the Commissioner for DVS, explained that the agency estimates that approximately 23,821 veterans in the city would receive service-connected disability compensation from the VA if they applied, which is a monthly, tax-free payment for the rest of their lives.
“Service-connected disability compensation is just one instance where this initiative will provide value. There are countless positive effects when one considers dependency and indemnity compensation, non-service connected pension, survivors pension, education benefits and burial benefits,” Hendon said in a statement. “The synergies and number of Veteran and Military families impacted are abundant.”
Of the historic $112.4 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2025, $5.7 million was allocated to DVS. It is a slight increase of half a million dollars from the previous fiscal year and what was proposed earlier in the year before the budget was approved at the end of June.
City Council Member Robert Holden, who represents Maspeth and Middle Village, called for “a significant increase in the budget for veteran services” in April. As Chair of the Committee on Veterans, he also pointed out that the DVA budget is just .0047% of the city’s entire budget. It amounts to barely $20 per veteran.
However, the idea for this program to bring veterans directly into city council offices came from the former Northeast Queens Council Member Paul Vallone. He died at the beginning of the year, but his idea is now being implemented across the city.
After reaching his term limit as city council member for District 19 in 2021, he went on to serve as Deputy Commissioner of External Affairs for DVS.
South Brooklyn City Council Member Justin Brannan, who chairs the Finance Committee, said he was proud to carry on Vallone’s legacy of serving the city and its veterans.
“This initiative was the vision of our friend and colleague, the late Paul Vallone. This is just another part of Paul’s tremendous legacy of service to our city and our veterans,” he said in a statement. “Speaker Adams and I are so proud to make another one of Paul’s dreams come true.”
Brannan also noted how critical this program will be for supporting veterans and their families who need extra help receiving the governmental benefits they are entitled to.
“We owe everything to the brave women and men who put their lives on the line for this great country,” Brannan said. “This new initiative will not only create jobs for our veterans but provide assistance to veterans and their families in accessing benefits and navigating the system.”
