On 15 October, Thomas Applebach, the new Lehigh County Director of Veteans Affairs will speak on what he plans and is doing with his Office of Veterans Affairs, newly reassigned to the Office of Administration from the Department of Human Services for greater oversight, we have heard. See home page Read more…
The date for the VALOR Clinic Stand Down under the Fahey Bridge, Sand Island, Bethlehem (same location as last time) has changed from the 18th to the 25th of October. ### As of 17 September 2014
Mini-Stand Downs for our homeless veterans continue to be active in our area for good reason. VALOR Clinic Foundation will have its next one on 18 October under the Fahey Bridge, Sand Island in Bethlehem, the same location as last time. It continues to alternate a Lehigh Valley location with the one at Dansbury Park, East Stroudsburg, on a monthly basis.
A little further afield are the efforts of the Second Brigade Motorcycle Club in Reading. See the flyer below. (more…)
For the first time, the Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation (PVF) “… is seeking to assist approximately ten Pennsylvania nonprofit organizations that help military veteran with grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. Specifically, the PVF is asking County Directors of Veterans Affairs and other community leaders to identify noteworthy organizations that are doing tremendous work yet need some extra resources to expand their effectiveness and reach,” states Mike Gould, the foundation’s Chairman of the Board. (more…)
Persistence pays. VALOR Clinic Foundation, a member of the Lehigh Valley Homeless Veterans Action Committee (an LVMAC alliance) is conducting another one of its mini-stand downs in the Lehigh Valley. This time it will be on 16 August at Sand Island in the City of Bethlehem. It is its second attempt to reach out to the homeless in the Bethlehem area and its fifth stand down in the Lehigh Valley this year — the three other ones were conducted in the Allentown area. As related in a previous article, this nonprofit will serve any homeless person, not just veterans … but getting to our homeless veterans is its first priority. If you know of one, contact Bob Rapp (see flyer below). Transportation can be arranged. (more…)
As most already know, Veterans Sanctuary unfortunately is no more. It ceased to be after a troubled ten months of operation last year. The building, which was the physical shell for a sophisticated therapeutic approach to treating our returning war veterans, both men and women, when they suffered from chronic addiction to drugs or alcohol and profound war-induced trauma, figuratively collapsed for lack of local county, state and federal government support – only the City of Allentown had assisted.
But a light still shines. (more…)
It may not be as fashionable these days to talk about transition shelters for the chronic homelessness, with all the new emphasis on Housing First models (permanent housing with at least initial case management) and preventive services, but like shoes for feet, “one size does not fit all.” There is a place for this service which wraps itself around a chronically homeless veteran and assists him/her in recovery to the point that he/she resumes a productive life – and being concerned about the continuum of care often needed afterwards. (more…)
Back in 2004, the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council first reported the Commonwealth had serious problems in its veterans affairs system. While improvements have been made, the system still languishes.
Now, Penn State University – Harrisburg Campus, under contract to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, is conducting a ‘veterans needs assessment.’ It is asking you to complete an online survey, if you are a Pennsylvania veteran – and furthermore, to encourage others you know to do so. (more…)
From Mr. Tom Muller, the new Lehigh County Executive,
“I am pleased to announce that Thomas Applebach has accepted our offer to assume the position of Director of Veterans Affairs for Lehigh County, 
effective April 28 … (more…)
Hire Our Heroes (HOH) will provide a free, round-trip ticket to anywhere in the country if a transitioning veteran needs to go to a job interview but is otherwise without the means to travel to and from the interview. (more…)