From left, Raul DeLerme (Howard County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer), Mark Elliott (JPMorgan Chase), Anthony Woods (Maryland Secretary of Veterans Affairs), Margi Kirst (Operation Homefront), Ellen Finnerty Myers (The Kahlert Foundation), Greg Kahlert (The Kahlert Foundation) and Beverly White-Seals (Community Foundation of Howard County) celebrate the expansion of transition housing for veterans in Columbia. (Photo: George Berkheimer)

National nonprofit Operation Homefront, in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Howard County, The Kahlert Foundation and JPMorgan Chase, celebrated the expansion of their Transitional Housing (Apartments) program for military families into Howard County with a ribbon-cutting to officially open five new apartment units this Wednesday, Sept 20.

The transitional housing program offers veterans a rent- and utilities-free apartment for one year, along with access to employment and financial counseling services to help them achieve stability and chart a path to long-term success post-military. Veterans who have honorably discharged within the past 4 years are eligible.

Since launching with two apartments in July 2021, the program has now expanded to 10 units. To date, Operation Homefront has housed 13 families (24 individuals), with three families graduating, and defrayed nearly $112,000 in rent/utility costs.