White River Junction — Friends of Veterans distributed more than $94,000 to help 135 veterans in New Hampshire and Vermont avoid homelessness last year. It was a record amount for the 30-year-old organization, but this year need has risen again.

“We’re up about 30 percent in terms of the money requested and the number of people requiring services,” said Patt Taylor, the interim president of the nonprofit organization. “It’s an unbelievable situation.”

Friends of Veterans focuses mainly on helping veterans who are in danger of becoming homeless, either through eviction or foreclosure. The group also helps with home repairs, such as a boiler that dies during the winter, and assists in providing service dogs to some veterans.

In order to qualify for assistance a veteran must have six months of service and an honorable discharge. Beneficiaries must also show how they will avoid dire financial situations in the future.

“We have to have some degree of confidence that they’re doing what they have to do for themselves,” Taylor said. This is especially important because homelessness and mental health are intertwined for many veterans.

“There is a direct relationship between post-traumatic stress and homelessness,” Taylor said.

While homelessness among veterans has dropped nationally, it rose 15 percent in New Hampshire and Vermont last year, according to Friends of Veterans.

This year, the group is on track to distribute more than $100,000 in aid. To support this work, the organization is looking for more volunteer caseworkers to help determine eligibility and present veterans’ cases to the committee that decides on distribution of funds. Caseworkers are tasked with collecting information from veterans who request assistance and entering it into the nonprofit’s database. They also help determine whether a veteran is eligible for other assistance from organizations like the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Taylor said caseworkers need to be able to commit about four hours a week in the organization’s White River Junction office. The position is open people with or without military experience, and the organization will provide training to anyone who is interested.

“They’ll work side by side with more experienced caseworker,” he said.

Friend of Veterans operates with 15 volunteers but no paid employees. Taylor hopes to gain three or four new caseworkers. He said the need is especially high during the winter months, when some of the organization’s volunteers travel or work full-time in seasonal jobs. That coincides with an increased demand for assistance during the colder months.

For more information, visit www.fovvtnh.org or call 802-296-8368.