Homeless veterans were able to take advantage of different resources at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual Stand Down on Friday.

The event, held at the VA’s Uptown location, is aimed to help these veterans by bringing together various agencies and community partners to provide services to them.

Mary Cunningham, the agency’s health care for homeless veterans program coordinator, said the alliances help the VA in providing housing for veterans who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.

“It’s an annual moment where we ask people to pay attention that this problem has not ended,” Cunningham said. “There are still veterans that served our country that are walking the streets without knowing where they are going to sleep tonight or where they are going to eat.”

According to a 2017 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development study, there are an estimated 40,056 homeless veterans in the U.S., with over 700 in Georgia, which is something Cunningham and the VA are trying to address.

Currently, they have 150 housing vouchers for homeless veterans in Richmond County, 79 in Athens and Aiken County was awarded, for the firs time, 14 vouchers, according to Cunningham.

“We need landlords that are willing to give a veteran a second chance because you don’t end up homeless without history. Some landlords want a squeaky clean background check,” Cunningham said.

Flu shotsmedical evaluations, counseling and even haircuts were available to veterans at the event. Garry Anderson, a former homeless veterans, said the event is beneficial for those who are homeless, particularly for medical evaluations.

“A lot of them are still homeless,” said Anderson, who served in the Army 22 years, starting during the Vietnam era. “It helps a lot and gives them hope.”

Similar to Anderson, Denine Harris was a former homeless veteran who served in the Army from 1984 to 1995. Harris decided to go to the event because of all the help the VA provided her when she was homeless.

“They assisted me when I was homeless,” she said. “They were very helpful, it was a quick process. They ensured that I was assisted every step of the way and they really supported me and helped me get back on my feet.”

When Harris runs into homeless veterans, she tells them about the program and resources available at the VA.

“If a lot of veterans would get the information, then they wouldn’t be living on the street or in the Salvation Army,” she said.

In addition to homelessness, suicide prevention is also a major focus for the VA, Cunningham said.

“In this country, one out of 20 veterans commit suicide, still, everyday,” she said. “Interestingly, only about six of those are engaged in VA care, so we keep reaching out hoping to find those veterans that are in trouble, so they know they have services here and we are willing to help.”

The nationwide event has been held for the past 18 years in Richmond County, but the VA hosts a variety of efforts to help and assist homeless veterans. Cunningham said they are constantly working with different organizations to provide the most help possible.

“I want them to know that we are aware and that we are working daily to end homelessness, both within the VA system and larger as a community,” Cunningham said.

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