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Stand
down .....
Stand Down was held on October 6th, 2005..Below are photos and
feedback from
the event..
 What is a Stand Down
Taken from a military R &R term which means “Rest & Recuperation.” Standing Down from all military activity to be refitted, rejuvenated and retrained for the next roll of active duty.
We held a Stand Down at the Clallam County Fair Grounds using three buildings. One
was for the service providers. The second was for the clothing issue room, and the third
was a cafeteria.
Security (we like to call them greeters) was provided by the Marine Corps League.
The number of veterans served
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117 persons attended the stand down
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32 Male homeless Veterans
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9
Female homeless Veterans
Service providers and services provided
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The Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) Homeless Care Line;
Personal Hygiene kits and counseling
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The VA Outreach
Coordinator;
Benefits counseling
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Olympic Peninsula Community Action (OlyCap):
In-home
care, food distribution, child care services, home weatherization and minor
home repairs, emergency shelter, job readiness training, home delivered
meals, assistance in permanent housing, adult day care, transportation
assistance, dental and oral health.
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Washington State Employment Security Department Veterans Unit:
Employment services, resume services,
application assistance, unemployment information
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Serenity House of
Clallam County:
Emergency housing
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Peninsula Community Mental Health:
Veteran
re-adjustment counseling, drug and alcohol abuse counseling.
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Clallam County Veterans’ Assistant:
Access to the Veterans Relief Fund
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Medical assistance:
Medical Doctor; health screenings
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Pro Bono Lawyers of Clallam County:
Legal aid
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The Housing Authority of Clallam County:
Housing
assistance
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Barbers:
Hair cuts
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Clallam County Veterans’ Center:
VA claims
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Sequim Community Help Center:
Life counseling, employment
assistance, energy assistance, transportation and housing assistance
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Public Health Office:
Provided vaccines and equipment for the health screenings
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Social Security Administration:
Assisted in filing for benefits,
gave information on the new Medicare drug benefit program
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Franklin Mortgage:
VA home loan program, budgeting.
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Clallam Transit:
Bus passes and information on how to
best access/utilize the public transportation system
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Clothing room:
Cold weather and wet weather clothing
was available in the clothing room as well as new underwear tee shirts sweat
shirts and sweat pants. Blankets, ponchos, personal hygiene kits, boots,
jackets, denim pants, winter vests and various other articles of clothing
could be picked up by veterans.
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Showers were available at no expense to the veteran
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Vouchers for laundry services
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A hot meal was served; coffee and pastries were available all day
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Internet access and local phone calls
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A dental hygienist for dental health screenings and arrangements for
follow up appointments
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Food kits (non-perishables) could be picked up at the clothing area
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Phone cards were available to be picked up at the clothing area
A SPECIAL..Thanks for the following:
The
members of the community that helped:
Significant
/ noteworthy activities or issues
What we saw this year
were many new faces that we didn’t see last year. Which can mean several
things 1) that we reached new people in need 2) that some of the people we
helped last didn’t need help again 3) the word is getting out to the homeless
veteran population that the stand down is available for their assistance.
We also saw some faces
from last stand down that came back just to say thank you for the services they
received at last years stand down and to say that they were in a better place in
life this year because of it.
We saw veterans that
had an opportunity to feel that somebody does care about them with no questions
asked no hassles and no pre-judgments.
We saw a community come
together for this purpose what has never come together in this way for any other
purpose.
The person from
Franklin Mortgage said that he thinks that he can help a family under threat of
bankruptcy chapter 13 from going under (preventing homelessness).
We had a larger
participation from the tribes this year.
Below is feedback from some service providers, along with photos of the
latest event.
She
was a young Native American veteran, who had
come in the building
crying.
When she was filling out the form she asked for Kleenex so I got a bunch for
her.
I explained what was available and there were two service providers she wanted
to see.
I took her back to one of them and got her started with them.
When she came back up front I asked if she got the help she wanted and
she said yes.
When I left at 1530 I walked by the clothing building and she was coming
out with two
large shopping bags of "things". I carried them to her car.
She started crying again and said she didn't think anyone cared until she
came to the stand down.
I told her a lot of people cared. She said her landlord was trying to
kick her out of her apartment.
That was one person we helped not only with food and clothing
,
but psychologically also by
just being there to listen to her.
DON
HYATT
Pro Bono Lawyers of Clallam
County:
It’s an excellent
opportunity in general for the veterans in the community to have access to legal
aid. Pro Bono Lawyers of Clallam County is glad to be able to help and assist in
a much needed service, and was very impressed by the quality of service
providers and the numbers of veterans that attended.
Dr. Hopfner saw a veteran
that he hadn’t seen in 36 years – since he had delivered him.
Two veterans who met in the
clothing room for the first time in decades had a very warm touching reunion.
Representative
from one our states senators remarked that he was extremely impressed by the
number of service providers and the way that the stand down was organized.
Directions to Stand Down: Clallam County Fairgrounds, 1608
West 16th St
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Showers
