Opportunity Center official to speak before lawmakers in Washington D.C. on veteran homelessness

While El Paso works to combat veteran homelessness, a director for the Opportunity Center for the Homeless will be in Washington D.C. Thursday to testify before a veterans affairs commitee.

John Martin, development director for the Opportunity Center, said he was invited by Congressman Beto O’Rourke.

“We as a community are hurting right now as it relates to overall funding for our programs,” Martin said.

He said in El Paso there is a strong focus on housing, but support services are lacking.

“The two must work in conjuction with one another for it to be successful,” Martin said.

The Opportunity Center is currently helping 200 men and women and fifteen percent of them are veterans trying to get back on their feet.

Martin said more than a million dollars in services have been cut per year, affecting mental health services, the youth program, transportation and other services. He said that has forced the center to look elsewhere for funding.

“My hope is to relay to the folks in Washington the difficulties and the struggles we have being the boots on the ground. We are the ones providing the direct services,” Martin said.

Martin said he will also talk about what is working to help homeless veterans.

Bonnie Norris, a veteran, is one of the success stories at the Opportunity Center. He started as a volunteer at the El Paso Zoo through a program provided for veterans looking to get back to work.

“They gave me a job at the El Paso Zoo, I’ve been there almost five months and I’m on my way to get full-time employments,” Norris said.

He said he’s sees all the work the Opportunity Center puts in to help homeless veterans and he appreciates it.