Homeless veteran Stand Down looks to address critical needs of Ohio’s heroes

Your Columbus car donation helps keep this annual event in Central Ohio.

Across the country, organizations join their efforts to hold a critical event: the homeless veteran Stand Down. During these local functions that occur throughout the year, hundreds of veterans arrive to take advantage of services, from counseling to clothing, that they may only receive once each year.

The Central Ohio homeless veterans Stand Down event will be held Tuesday, October 22, at Veterans Memorial in Columbus. Volunteers of America staff from the Columbus Veterans Resource Center are once again on hand to help plan and execute this annual event.

Hundreds of veterans will receive clothing, health care, haircuts and other much needed resources and services. Rocky Boots, a footwear retailer out of Nelsonville, Ohio, has generously donated 300 pairs of new boots for the veterans in attendance.

Volunteers of America is also proud to have supported Ohio veterans at two recent Cincinnati Stand Downs this fall.

Stand Down events are held across the country and are typically one- to three-day events providing services to homeless veterans like food, shelter, clothing, health screenings and VA and Social Security benefits counseling. In addition, veterans receive referrals to a variety of other necessary services, such as housing, employment and substance abuse treatment. Stand Downs are collaborative events, coordinated between local VAs, other government agencies and community agencies who serve the homeless.

The first Stand Down was organized in 1988 by a group of Vietnam Veterans in San Diego. Since then, Stand Downs have been used as an effective tool in reaching out to homeless Veterans, touching the lives of more than 200,000 veterans and their family members between 1994 - 2000.

Your auto donation could support the next Central Ohio Stand Down.

Want to help homeless Ohio veterans? It’s easier than you think to donate your car in Cincinnati or Columbus. Take a look at these tips to get you started:

1. Fill out our quick, no-hassle online donation form or call (800) 862-6030.
2. Don’t forget our free same-day pickup.
3. Calculate the value of your vehicle if you plan to claim a tax deduction. Finding the Kelly Blue Book value of your vehicle can give you an estimate of its fair market value.
4. Locate the clear title of your vehicle. You’ll need to have a notarized, clear title name with your daytime phone number on hand when you drop off your vehicle or when we arrive to tow it. If you have misplaced the title, we can even help you secure a duplicate.
5. Locate the correct IRS form. For low value vehicle donations, you can claim the fair market value up to $500 with nothing more than the receipt we will send you in the mail as proof of a charitable contribution. If Volunteers of America sells your auto at auction for over $500, you are entitled to the sale price of your vehicle and you will need to fill out an IRS form 8283.