Resource Fair & Stand Down for Cincinnati Veterans

Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio and the Cincinnati VA Medical Center hosted the Cincinnati Veterans Resource Fair & Stand Down for Cincinnati-area veterans on Thursday, June 22, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds.

The resource fair provided valuable access to free services and information about community resources for veterans in the Cincinnati area. There were resources concerning Veteran Benefits, Employment, Education, Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Legal and Medical.

"No veteran who has bravely served our country should ever struggle with getting the help they need," said Dennis Kresak, Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio President and CEO. "For those veterans who have fallen on hard times, this resource fair provides much needed access to important resources and services."

An opening ceremony and brief remarks began at 9:30 a.m. For the remainder of the day, service agencies and employers provided much-needed information and clothing giveaways to the veterans. Services and resources included housing information, job training services, medical screening, legal services, hygiene kits, free food, haircuts, and health screenings. Nearly 50 agencies participated in the Veterans Resource Fair & Stand Down.

Vivian Hutson, Director of the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, attended and spoke with veterans throughout the day.

The Veterans Resource Fair & Stand Down was open to all veterans and included activities and services targeted specifically for homeless veterans.

RecruitMilitary and Staffmark attended and spoke to veterans about employment opportunities and overcoming some of the issues veterans face. U.S. Bank provided information to veterans about financial education.

Major support from and partners for the event include Panera Bread, Empire Beauty Schools, Costco Wholesale, Mt. Zion Baptist Church Military Ministry, American Red Cross Greater Cincinnati-Dayton Region, Cincinnati Reds, Cintas, and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 115.

Funding for the event was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service.