Congressman Rick Larsen recently announced that nearly $1.5 million in federal grant monies have been handed to two state organizations to support their goals of preventing homelessness among veterans.

One of the recipients, the Opportunity Council, serves veterans in Island County, as well as Skagit, Whatcom and San Juan Counties. The organization received $698,771.

The other recipient, Snohomish County’s Catholic Community Services of Western Washington , received $784,064. Both organizations received the money from the Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families program.

Larsen, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, said these resources will enable the organizations to expand their effort to provide veteran families with housing and employment in their areas of coverage.

“Too many veterans in Western Washington do not know where they will sleep from night to night,” Larsen said.