RED, WHITE AND BLUE balloons decorated the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul community center in Oakland during a resource fair for Alameda County veterans struggling with basic needs and services.
The Alameda County Veterans Affairs Commission on Friday held its fourth “Stand Down” event with the community center in a concentrated effort to provide local veterans access and exposure to medical, personal, professional, and legal services.
The lead organizer and member of the Veterans Affair Commission is Navy veteran Omar Farmer, who said that after his appointment to the advisory body, he wanted to find ways to provide tangible services for veterans across Alameda County.
“I wanted to be more proactive, and people were looking to start up the Stand Downs again. So I took a crack at it, and here we are,” said Farmer.
The phrase “Stand Down”, according to Farmer, is a signal to servicemembers to take a step back from the battlefield and take care of themselves. He said that after veterans returned from the Vietnam War, the phrase was used to signal to them, in a way they could understand, that spaces were being provided that would help them take care of their basic needs.
The event hosted organizations offering free assistance for professional development, help navigating resources at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and other services for servicemembers experiencing hardship.
Additionally, showers, laundry services, a clothing pantry, haircuts, and basic medical services were being offered so people could refresh themselves and feel taken care of.
Brenda Addison, the community center manager at St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County, spoke about the services offered and the importance of having dedicated events for veterans experiencing hardship.
“To be able to have these showers and be able to get your laundry done. It’s basically regaining your dignity and feeling like a human,” said Addison.
The most recent national survey conducted by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated there were nearly 33,000 homeless veterans across the country. About 2,400 are believed to reside in Bay Area counties, with 524 believed to reside within Alameda County.
According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, housing shortages, livable incomes, access to health care, substance abuse, and a lack of support systems play a role in struggle of servicemembers.
In one corner of the community center was a table for Bay Area Legal Aid, an organization that provides free legal services for low-income individuals in seven Bay Area counties. Marine and Army veteran Nicole Suraci-Nguyen is an attorney with the organization and said it was important to provide legal assistance for veterans who have been struggling since exiting the military.
“Issues with housing, benefits, and disability can add up and make it hard,” said Suraci-Nguyen.
To be able to have these showers and be able to get your laundry done. It’s basically regaining your dignity and feeling like a human.
Brenda Addison, the community center manager at St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County
Amber Crouch with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention spoke about the mental health struggles some veterans face.
“You come from this extremely structured life, where this is your world, and then suddenly you’re thrust into this place where you have no direction, no idea what you’re doing next,” said Crouch. “Sometimes they don’t have support, and people without support get desperate.”
The Stand Down event continued Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering veterans showers, laundry, haircuts, and medical support.