Another successful Stand Down

by Dennis Tivey, Communication & Outreach Coordinator

Chalk up another big success for the Veterans Stand Down! The annual one-day event, intended to provide a safe place for low-income and homeless veterans to get the help they need, took place this year on October 21 at the Santa Maria Fairpark. A total of 524 veterans, including 158 homeless vets, were served by an army of workers and volunteers, including staff from DSS. Read on for details, stories, photos and a video!

Outside, a DJ played as people enjoyed a hot breakfast or BBQ lunch. Inside the buildings, tents and mobile units, representatives from 110 public and private organizations offered free goods and services for the vets: everything from medical checkups to haircuts, hot showers to food for Fido, blankets to boots. Free consultations or appointments were available for everything from housing opportunities to legal assistance. Folks picked up a bag of groceries or a bag of fresh locally grown produce on their way out.

To experience some sights and sounds from the event, check out this video...see this photo gallery (or the photos on the Stand Down Facebook page)...and read this story from Eva Didion, one of the many DSS folks working the event.

County Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, who spearheads the Stand Down, shared his gratitude at a November 15 Stand Down Committee appreciation lunch. "We can't say 'thank you' enough to people who worked to ensure our heroes are taken care of at home," he said.

DSS staff who participated in this year's Stand Down include the following.

In the Park Plaza Pavilion, where service, employment and training providers were housed:

• Frank Mejia coordinated the whole pavilion (service providers, educators and employers). He also helped Carolina Carrillo staff the Information & Bus Pass Distribution desk during the event.
• Eligibility programs including CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Relief, Medi-Cal and Covered California were represented by Lupe Salinas, Guadalupe Marin and Cindy Dominguez.
• Eva Didion represented SSI Advocacy.
• The IHSS and IHCN programs were represented by Sonia Aguirre.
• On the employment services side we had Steve Hernandez, along with Herb Villa of KRA/WIOA. Luke Ramos from IT came by early to set up connectivity, laptops and a printer, enabling printouts from CalWIN and resumes for job seekers that visited the table.
• In all, DSS staff handled 79 consultations and made 4 appointments. 

In the Convention Center, where haircuts, backpacks, clothing, hygiene items, women's services, and homeless veterans services were provided:

• Heather Gardner shepherded the annual boot distribution activity through the grant and purchasing phases, and then worked alongside Maria Gardner and family members to distribute all 200 pairs of boots to homeless vets at the event.  
• Many DSS staff donated clothing, blankets, hygiene items and so on for distribution in the Center.