THE JERALD WASHINGTON Memorial Founders’ Award
The Jerald Washington Memorial Founders’ Award is the highest honor bestowed in the homeless veteran assistance community. The award honors the memory of Jerald Washington, former organizer of veteran assistance programs in Florida and Tennessee, and a co-founder of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.
The award is presented to an individual who embodies the spirit of service and sacrifice displayed by Washington throughout his career and acknowledges that person’s special place in the history of the homeless veteran assistance movement.
Jerald “Jerry” Washington returned home to Tennessee from the Vietnam War and dedicated the remainder of his life to teaching and serving veterans, especially those who were experiencing difficulty readjusting to civilian life after serving in combat. He taught political science at the University of Tennessee and Sul Ross University in Texas, but he will be remembered most for his work to help homeless veterans.
Washington proudly served as one of NCHV’s leaders from the organization’s founding in 1990 until his death in 2001. He established Base Camp Inc., in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Veterans Community Leadership Corporation in Jacksonville, Florida.
He served as president of the Vietnam Veterans of America-Tennessee Chapter, and of the Northeast Florida Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Inc., in Jacksonville. During his term of service, NCHV grew from 16 community-based organizations to a coalition of hundreds of service providers and Federal partners reaching across America. He was driven by his unconditional devotion to all of this nation’s veterans in need, and remains an inspiration to all who knew and served with him.