Veterans Matter: Ice-T, Kid Rock, Stevie Nicks, and Others Work to House 57,000 Homeless Vets

Celebrities, Media, and Veterans Matter Unite to Promote National Memorial Day Campaign.

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May 23, 2014, 05:48 ET

TOLEDO, Ohio, May 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Over a dozen celebrities and Cumulus Media have come together to help the innovative, Ohio-based Veterans Matter program kick off a campaign on Memorial Day to help house as many of the 57,000 homeless veterans as possible, as soon as possible.

"Thousands of veterans are homeless and living on the streets of our nation tonight. Streets where they are being beaten, robbed, even killed. Let's take care of our own," says Ice-T of the Veterans Matter campaign to house veterans.

The program's growing roster of support includes:

Each has voiced public services announcements now airing on Cumulus Media properties nationwide urging all Americans to help our nation's homeless veterans get housed.

Text "VETS" to 41444 and click through to donate any amount on their credit card.

Or donate online at the organizations website, veteransmatter.org.

The Veterans Matter program was started in 2012 in Toledo, Ohio, by Ken Leslie, a once homeless activist who had become aware that the primary obstacle facing many local homeless veterans eligible for long-term housing assistance was the lack of a rental deposit. Veterans Matter was created as a simple solution to that simple problem by paying the deposit directly to landlord and has expanded to help house veterans in six states.

The program's simplicity and demonstrated success rate attracted the attention of Dusty Hill of ZZ Top and John Mellencamp, who each helped raise funds to house homeless veterans in their home states, accounting for a significant portion of the almost $250,000 raised so far. 100% of the money raised goes to the program, as overhead costs are donated in-kind by Leslie's company and other friends. 1Matters.org, a local non-profit, attained national visibility when John Mellencamp visited Toledo some years ago, is the fiscal agent for the program.

"Cumulus, the artists, and all of those involved in helping Veterans Matter are here because they fought for us. Now we fight for them. Veterans Matter," Leslie said.

Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heVaJPM2npM

SOURCE 1Matters