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Friday, November 14, 2003

Tennessee Staffers Support Annual Homeless Vets Stand Down

Nashville Field Office employees recently volunteered their time and effort at the city's annual Operation Stand Down - a health and wellness conclave for homeless veterans. Some 40 vendors and 300 veterans attended the event.

Meals were provided for the 300 vets and others who attended Operation Stand Down.

Basic services such as haircuts were also provided for vets who wanted them.

Clinton Johnson was a hit for his sax playing on Friday evening.

Stand Downs are one way the Department of Veterans Affairs provides services to homeless vets. At these one-to-three day events, vets receive food, shelter, clothing, health screenings, VA and Social Security benefits counseling, and referrals to a variety of other necessary services, such as housing, employment and substance abuse treatment. More than 30 Stand Downs nationwide are planned this year.

Stand Downs are also collaborative events, coordinated between local VAs, other government agencies and community agencies that serve the homeless. Among the vendors joining with the HUD staff were Camp Samaritan, a veterans restoration ministry; Nashville Cares, a health-advocate agency promoting sexual health education; and a number of employment agencies.

"The Field Office wanted to show vets we really care, so we planned a special tribute for them," said Terry Livingston, who coordinated the Field Office's participation. On Friday evening as the vets ate, Community Planning and Development's Clinton Johnson played his soulful sax rendition of Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art.

The office also provided information taken from HUD.gov and Tennessee HUD.gov about medical services, legal services, rental housing resources, employment references, emergency services, shelters, links to healthcare agencies and doctors, and more.

And in March, Operation Stand Down received Continuum of Care funds from the Department for an employment counselor position.