Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Billy Ho | 160723-N-QL471-662 SAN DIEGO (July 23, 2016) Spc. Jennifer Donovan, assigned to 144th...... read more read more
“The purpose of this Stand Down is to bring all the agencies to one place, so all of the veterans who are here don’t have to travel throughout the county to find what they need,” said Dorcy Pavich, Director of the Stand Down program. “They can come to one place on one weekend and get connected to programs that could take them more than a year to get connected to.”
The NHSD staffs, with close to 4,000 volunteers from more than 100 community organizations and veteran service agencies, provided thousands of homeless veterans with basic needs, such as: food, clothing, showers, barbers, medical, dental, optical and religious services during the nation-wide event.
“I’m very fortunate to be able to come out here and witness the hard work and dedication across all different branches and across civilian and military,” said Chisholm. “The 200 volunteers here from the Naval Medical Center make me proud to be in the Navy and make me proud to have them as my shipmates because they make it a priority when they come out here.”
The Stand Down also offered legal services, counseling, VA benefits, employment and job counseling, rehabilitation programs, integrative medicine, recovery providers, shelters and more.
“My favorite part actually happened this morning when one of our providers came up and said ‘We just had this guy apply for a job and we think we found him a place. It is all the way in Dallas, TX, but that’s where his family is,’” said Pavich. “It’s a job for somebody in his home town! That’s why we do this!”
VVSD initiated the nation’s first Stand Down in 1988. Today, more than 200 Stand Downs are held throughout the country every year.
“It’s hard to explain to some people why you wear the uniform,” said Chisholm. “They have chosen to dedicate their lives and sometime altered their lives dramatically for the service to the country. I think the reason to do something like this is to make sure we don’t forget that.”
| Date Taken: | 07.23.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.01.2016 12:07 |
| Story ID: | 205678 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 76 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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