They served our country, but now it's time to "stand down" and focus on rebuilding their lives.
The annual Alachua County Homeless Veterans "Stand Down" invites the over 500 homeless vets in our area to find help. Men and women who attend can sign up for VA benefits, social services and housing programs.
these resources made a difference for one veteran, who was homeless until receiving housing assistance and drug counseling 4 years ago...
Vietnam Veteran Charles Washington said, "Well I understand where they are, I have empathy for it because I'll never forget where I was at that time. And I know that it's not impossible for you to come up out of it. All you have to do is stick to the programs and be willing to listen."
The event is designed to get veterans plugged into programs that will address the issues that led to their homelessness, like mental health counseling and job skills training.
90 people came today. The "Stand Down" is also going on Friday at the Martin Luther King Junior center in Gainesville from 8 AM to Noon.