PHOENIX – Volunteers from the Phoenix Recruiting Battalion participated in the 2019 Maricopa County StandDown, Jan. 24, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, downtown Phoenix.
The Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance (AVSA) is described as a program of the Arizona Housing Coalition, which holds annual events and resource fairs in 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties, including the nation's largest event of its kind, the annual Maricopa Veterans StandDown.
According to the ASVA’s official website, the StandDown events and resource fairs allow veterans and their families who are experiencing housing instability and homelessness to get and stay connected to supportive services.
The volunteers were present to assist veterans with their various needs at the StandDown, guiding them to different stations, including legal, employment, medical, benefits and housing.
Participating in the event was Master Sgt. Michael Moore, senior operations noncommissioned officer, Phoenix Rec. Bn., who said he volunteered to give back to those who have served their nation.
As a veteran it means a lot to me to help those who may have fallen on hard times, Moore said. By giving back to them and the community, I feel like I’m making a difference. This could be any one of us and you never know when you might need these essential services.
Moore assisted six veterans during the day, getting to know their stories and what led them to where they are today, some of which is sobering, he said.
These are people who defended their nation and for whatever reason have fallen on hard times, he said. Just by offering a small portion of my time to them and being able to listen to them, makes this a noble endeavor to all involved.
Also volunteering on behalf of the battalion was Capt. Adam McGinnis, operations officer, who said he was proud of the group who represented the battalion and hopes to continue supporting the event in the years to come.
Seeing the amount of help out there for the veterans was eye opening. I’m happy they have access to these resources, to help them get them back on their feet, McGinnis said.
McGinnis said he spent the majority of the day paired up with a Navy veteran, who he helped receive legal aid to quash a previous criminal conviction.
During the four hours I spent with this veteran, we hit it off immediately and I consider him a friend, McGinnis said. We should never take our freedoms for granted … today showed me people really care.
| Date Taken: |
01.25.2019 |
| Date Posted: |
01.25.2019 14:04 |
| Story ID: |
308280 |
| Location: |
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: |
106 |
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0 |
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