9:41 a.m.
ALACHUA COUNTY - Sponsored by the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners, Florida Works and North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, the annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down/Resource Fair will be held on Friday, November 16, 2007 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the C.R. Layton Army Reserve Center, 1125 NE 8th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601. All homeless veterans are welcome. The Veterans Mobile Clinic will be on site and a hot lunch will be served.
The original Stand Down for homeless veterans was modeled after the Stand Down concept used during the Vietnam War to provide a safe retreat for units returning from combat operations. At secure base camp areas, troops were able to take care of personal hygiene, get clean uniforms, enjoy warm meals, receive medical and dental care, mail and receive letters, and enjoy the camaraderie of friends in a safe environment. Stand Down afforded battle-weary soldiers the opportunity to renew their spirit, health and overall sense of well-being. That is the purpose of the Stand Down for homeless veterans, and achieving those objectives requires a wide range of support services and time.
Services that will be available include:
- Medical Screening
- VA Enrollment
- VA Claims Assistance
- Food Stamp Information
- Medicaid Information
- Social Service Assistance
- Job Information
- Veterans' Organizations and volunteers
- VA Homeless Program
- Food and Clothing
- Rolling Thunder
For more information, please call John Skelly, Alachua County Poverty Reduction Program Director, at (352) 264-6749, Vianne Marchese, HCHV Coordinator, at (352) 379-7461 or James Mash at (352) 244-5102.
-30-