NEWS

Veterans panel seeks items, volunteers for stand-down

Carl Burnett Jr.
Reporter

LANCASTER – The Fairfield County Veterans Service Commission and Lutheran Social Services are looking for some volunteers and supplies to help with a planned stand-down for veterans and non-veterans who are homeless or at risk of soon becoming homeless.

The stand-down will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 22 at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds in the AAA Building.

“This is the first time we’ve had a stand-down in Fairfield County,” said Angel Anderson, Veterans Services’ eligibility investigator and an organizer for the one-day event. “We’ve received a lot of support from all over for the event, but we still need some supplies we can hand out and we need some volunteers, especially for the day of the event.”

The following will be available for event attendees: medical screenings, education assistance, legal aid, and veterans services assistance.

The Department of Veterans Affairs will provide basic medical screenings, such as blood pressure and pulse rate, for veterans, and Fairfield Medical Center will provide them for non-veterans.

Anderson also said there will be representatives from Fairfield County Job and Family Services to help with access to local employment opportunities and social service agencies to help with housing options.

“We are also going to have haircuts, and clothing and food giveaways,” Anderson said. “We also are going to be serving a hot lunch and there will be entertainment.”

Bill Seagraves, executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ohio Charities and chairman of the Ohio Veterans and Fraternal Charitable Coalition, said the stand-downs are a valuable way to find and help low-income veterans.

“Many don’t even know they are entitled to some benefits or are afraid to come in and find out about them,” Seagraves said. “These stand-downs are a way for them to come and get help.”

Eddie Rapp, director of Faith Housing of Fairfield County, has been working with the VA to help homeless veterans.

“Right now, we have about 200 area veterans in our shelter or veterans program. About 150 of them come from Lancaster and Fairfield County,” Rapp said. “We see between 20 and 30 new cases a month. This stand-down is a way for us to reach and help those who need it.”

Anderson said they hope to provide veterans who are homeless with services and items to help them.

“We want to help them get off the streets if they want to, but if they aren’t ready to leave the streets, to provide them some items to be out there and safe,” Anderson said. “We could still use some supplies and food donations.

The agencies are still looking for personal hygiene items they can hand out. Items needed include: shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste, tooth brushes, dental floss, mouth wash, soap/body wash, feminine hygiene products, lotion and laundry soap.

Food items they are looking for include crackers and cheese, trail mix, beef jerky, tuna pouches, dried fruit, gum and mints, hard candy, granola bars, and fruit snacks.

Drop-off locations for personal hygiene items only are at any of Lancaster’s three firehouses. Clothing can be dropped off at Mid-Ohio Psychological Service, 624 E. Main St., Lancaster, and The Eagle-Gazette, 138 W. Chestnut St.

Personal hygiene items and food can be dropped off at Pleasantville Elementary, 300 W. Columbus St., Pleasantville; Bremen Elementary, 210 Strayer Ave., Bremen; and at Healthy Edge Nutrition, 221 S. Broad St., Lancaster. All items can be dropped off at VFW Post 1516, 116 Perry St., Lancaster; Carroll Place, 3682 Dolson Court, Carroll; Fairfield County Veterans Service Commission, 227 E. Main St., Lancaster; and Lutheran Social Services, 1681 E. Main St., Lancaster.

If you are a veteran, bring proof of service, which could include your DD-214 discharge papers, the VA health card, county veteran identification card or a veterans service organization (VFW, American Legion, AmVets, etc.) identification card.

Anderson said they had about 25 volunteers, but they estimate they need between 75 to 100 volunteers to handle the event.

“All the volunteers for the day of the event will need to attend an orientation session that will take place at the American Legion hall (279 Canal St., Lancaster) either on May 12 or on May 16,” Anderson said.

The orientation sensitivity training session will take about an hour, with the one on May 12 beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the one on May 16 starting at 2 p.m. Volunteers would need to attend only one of sessions.

If you want to volunteer, visit www.togetherwemoveforward.com or the Fairfield County Veterans Service Commission website, www.fcvsc.org, or call Anderson at 740-652-7922.

cburnett@lancastereaglegazette.com

740-681-4346

Twitter: @CarlBurnettJr