Operation Stand Down weekend helps 450

THE VETERANS that attended the three-day event received assistance with everything from medical and dental assistance to housing, employment, veteran affairs benefits, and restoration of driving privileges, said Operation Stand Down Executive Director Erik Wallin.
THE VETERANS that attended the three-day event received assistance with everything from medical and dental assistance to housing, employment, veteran affairs benefits, and restoration of driving privileges, said Operation Stand Down Executive Director Erik Wallin.

CUMBERLAND – A record number of 450 veterans obtained essential services on Sept. 19-21 at the 21st annual Operation Stand Down Rhode Island Outreach Weekend in Diamond Hill State Park.
Operation Stand Down also received a $100,000 grant from Wal-Mart to offer employment and career services to returning veterans. State Rep. Eileen Naughton also presented the nonprofit with a $2,500 legislative grant to help the organization fund the outreach weekend.
The veterans that attended the three-day event received assistance with everything from medical and dental assistance to housing, employment, veteran affairs benefits, and restoration of driving privileges, said Operation Stand Down Executive Director Erik Wallin.
“We are so grateful at the outpouring of support from the local community and service providers that helped make the 21st Stand Down Weekend the biggest and most successful one in the organization’s history,” Wallin said. “We provided the largest number of services to the most veterans we have ever had.”
The funding from Wal-Mart will be used to expand the organization’s employment services center and its appeal to local employers, in order to offer more opportunities to struggling veterans who find themselves out of work, said Wallin.
“We believe the skills that make these men and women so valuable in the military are the same skills that will help them excel in the work force, and our staff works with the veterans to hone in on these abilities and find employment that will be complimented by their unique skill set,” he said.
The nonprofit staff and volunteers set up a military style encampment for veterans in need of services to stay in throughout the weekend. Meals were provided to the veterans at no charge by the studios at Johnson & Wales University.
“We try to bring the veterans back to a time in their lives were they felt good about themselves and had a strong sense of camaraderie, that’s why we set it up like a military camp complete with a chow line,” said Tony DeQuattro, founder and president of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island. “Every year we hold this event it gets bigger and better and we are honored to have the opportunity to serve our brothers and sisters in uniform.”
The nonprofit operates five housing units, including one for female veterans, throughout Rhode Island. A sixth unit in Westerly is under construction.

No posts to display