WHAT IS STAND DOWN?
Stand Downs are one part of the Department Of Veterans Affairs' efforts
to provide
services to homeless veterans. Stand Downs are typically one to three day events
providing services to homeless
Veterans such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings,
VA and
Social Security benefits counseling, and referrals to a variety of other
necessary
services, such as housing, employment and substance abuse
treatment. Stand Downs are
collaborative events, coordinated
between local VAs other government agencies and
community agencies who serve the homeless. The first Stand Down was organized in 1988
by
a group of Vietnam Veterans in San Diego. Since them, Stand Downs have been used
as an effective tool in reaching out to homeless Veterans, reaching more than 200,000
Veterans and their family members
between 1994-2011.
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
retuning 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. The
program is successful because it
brings these services to one location, making them more
accessible to homeless veterans.
It is important for us to be the leader and make a
contribution to our community. For five
years No Vet
Left Behind, Inc., has provided our veterans,
summer, spring and fall.
With your help we can
continue this great tradition of giving back to
those who
have given so much for all of us to be
free.
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