Recently, the Veterans Stand Down and Benefits Fair was held in Yakima.
This is the 19th year for the event, which provides necessary services to veterans, as well as giving them a space to share their memories with other vets.
David Brown is with the Yakima County Veterans Program. He explained that the fair, which is free, brings in approximately 800 people each year, including veterans and members of their families. For the 2018 event, over 80 organizations had booths set up to help those who attended. Organizers of events like this can use flyer printing to create a map to help attendees find a specific company or provider.
Brown said the program tries to bring together as many resources as they can, in order to reduce what he calls the “information deficit” among veterans throughout the county, who are unfamiliar with the agencies and programs that exist to help them. He said the fair helps them identify services that can assist in processing VA claims, finding a counselor to deal with post-traumatic stress, finding a dentist, learning how to enroll in VA health care, and even landing a job.
Brown added the fair is held to serve those whose needs are greatest, but also to make sure no veteran is overlooked, and that the event is one of friendship and camaraderie. He went on to say he is delighted so many people in the community want to help Yakima’s veterans.
