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Myrtle Beach Stand Down September 23

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On Friday, September 23,  AARP South Carolina,  the Veteran’s Welcome Home and Resource Center, and and Military Officers Association of American will host the 3rd annual Myrtle Beach Stand Down for Homeless Veterans event from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the U.S. Army Reserve Building, 3392 Phillis Blvd.

Participants are offered free dental, medical and eye screenings, a hot breakfast and hot lunch, eyeglasses, haircuts, showers, Goodwill clothing vouchers, non-perishable food items, flu and pneumonia vaccinations, access to attorneys and trained addiction counselors, personal items like socks and underwear, free bus passes, and supplemental goods from the Department of Defense such as sleeping bags, rucksacks, and work boots. Representatives from more than 35 social service agencies will be available to provide information and outreach on a variety of services including housing options, job resources, resume writing tips, substance abuse treatment, income tax assistance, and access to Social Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services.

A tiny house modified from a shipping container by the nonprofit, Veterans Housing Development, will also be on site during the event and will be open for tours. Similar houses are being constructed in Horry County with the intention of using them to house homeless Veterans for free.

“This is a tremendous undertaking by the community and, in our third year, the event has grown in size and scope,” said Doris Gleason, event coordinator and director of community outreach for AARP South Carolina. “Last year we serviced 153 homeless or at-risk Veterans, had 30 plus agencies and 120 volunteers attend. We couldn’t do it without our partners and we are so grateful for their willingness, compassion and never-ending energy.”

The goal of the event is to reach Veterans impacted by homelessness and connect them with programs and services. Stand Down is intended to serve homeless Veterans and those Veterans at risk of losing their homes in the Grand Strand.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is the only Federal agency that provides substantial hands-on assistance directly to homeless persons. With approximately 47,000 homeless Veterans in the United States on any given night, that mission is considered essential for VA as they strive to eliminate homelessness among those who have served our nation.

Each year area nonprofits and volunteers donate goods and come out to support the event and ensure its success in connecting Veterans with the services they need. In addition to the lead organizations the following community partners are essential to providing all the resources available to Veterans at Stand Down: Ralph H. Johnson VAMC, Combat Veterans Association, and Little River Medical Center.

Stand Down is funded by the contributions from organizations in South Carolina and Horry County and there is no cost to attend.

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