Higgins announces grants for Veterans One-stop Center of WNY, WNYCOSH

$750,000 for Veterans One-stop Center to address veteran suicide prevention & mental health

Congressman Brian Higgins announced a $750,000 federal grant for the Veterans One-stop Center of WNY. The funding was awarded through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP).

“The Veterans One-stop Center has done a wonderful job of being a trusted and accessible central point of contact for Western New York veterans,” Higgins said. “This significant federal award will allow for expanded outreach and support services to the good men and women who bravely and faithfully served this country who may be struggling.”

Veterans One-stop Center of WNY President and CEO Adam Howard said, "Veterans One-stop Center of WNY is honored to be a recipient of SSG Fox Grant funds, and we look forward to expanding our coverage area while keeping customer care and client satisfaction at the forefront of our efforts. We thank Congressman Higgins and his staff for their continued support and commitment to the men and women that have served our great nation with honor and distinction."

The SSG Fox SPGP was formed under the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, supported by Higgins, and signed into law in October 2020. Congress authorized $174 million for the program, which funds community-based suicide prevention and mental health initiatives for veterans.

The Veterans One-stop was among just 80 grants awarded nationwide through this program this year. This is the organization’s first time receiving this grant. Higgins wrote a letter of support.

The Veterans One-stop Center of WNY is a nonprofit organization connecting veterans and their families to services ranging from housing and health care to benefits and peer support. For more information about the Veterans One-stop Center, visit www.vocwny.org or call 716-898-0110.

The SSG Fox program is named in honor of U.S. Army sniper instructor Parker Gordon Fox who died by suicide in 2020 at the age of 25. The Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7 to those in need; dial 988 for the crisis hotline then veterans should press 1.

$127,000-plus Grant to Western New York Council on Occupational Safety and Health to Support Workplace Training & Safety

Higgins announced a federal grant totaling $127,454 for the Western New York Council on Occupational Safety and Health (WNYCOSH). Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the grant is dedicated to workplace safety measures.

“WNYCOSH is an important resource for employers and employees in Western New York, providing tools and information to maintain a maximum level of safety in the workplace,” Higgins said. “This Labor Department funding will allow for the expansion of training programs to meet challenging situations faced by today’s workers.”

Brian Brown-Cashdollar, executive director of WNY Council on Occupational Safety and Health, said, “WNYCOSH is grateful to have received funding for Workplace Violence under OSHA’s Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. Workplace violence is a serious issue facing workers in many industries. WNYCOSH will be developing new training to improve safety and deal with new risks. Due to this funding, WNY workers will be better trained to understand how to respond to threats in the workplace.”

The federal grant will allow WNYCOSH to offer training, in various languages, related to workplace violence. WNYCOSH is expecting to assist 430 local employers and workers in the health care, hospitality, restaurant, retail, service and construction industries.

WNYCOSH was one of 90 organizations funded nationwide under the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program aimed at protecting the mission of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which established employer responsibility for equipping employees with safe and secure workplaces. This program provides funding for workplace safety and hazard training, as well as education on workers’ rights and employer responsibilities.

The WNY Council on Occupational Safety and Health is a nonprofit organization that provides workplace safety resources and education to individuals across Western New York through workshops, workplace topic training, and online resources. To learn more, visit https://wnycosh.org.