As of September 2015 there were 21,681,000 veterans in the United States. That is 21.6 million brave Americans who risked their lives for the wellbeing of the United States. Unfortunately, this risk often leads to hardship: according to the National Veterans Foundation almost 1.5 million veterans live in poverty, and the poverty rate for veterans between 18-34 years old is higher than the poverty rate of all other groups in that age range.
Female veterans are reported to be three to four times as likely to become homeless than all other women, and two of the primary causes of female homelessness — trauma sustained during military service and post-service trauma — are unique to veterans. Even when veterans are not homeless, they still inhabit a lower socioeconomic class.
34.5% of veterans live on welfare, and around 1.7 million veterans rely on SNAP to provide food for themselves and their families. These statistics are simply unacceptable. It is time that we step up, and do more to support the individuals who risked their lives for America.
This week, Oct. 31 through Nov. 4, is National Veteran Small Business Week in the United States. The US Small Business Association hosts this week to celebrate the successes of entrepreneurial veterans across the United States. The SBA is an organization that provides services to veterans, active duty service members, Guard and Reserve members and military spouses in order to empower them to start their own businesses. By providing veterans with the necessary skills to start their own businesses, the SBA is helping to lower the number of veterans who are living in poverty. Now, we need to make sure that we support these businesses.
As Global Citizens we take action every day to support causes around the world. This week we have the opportunity to support those who made many sacrifices for us, right here. Find National Veterans Small Business Week events near you and don't forget to join the conversation! Use at #MyVetBiz to share your experiences supporting U.S. veterans!