Tagged: veterans

The VA of Nebraska-western Iowa plans to add 16 additional personnel to provide mental health care to veterans.

It’s part of a nationwide initiative by the VA to add 1,600 mental health clinicians nationwide.

The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa is combining its annual Veteran’s Welcome Home Event with its Veterans Freedom Music Festival on June 23rd.  Public Affairs Officer Will Ackerman says the VA united the two events for two reasons. 

He says the celebration offers the community a day to come out and honor the state’s veterans who have served and sacrificed for their freedoms.  Additionally, Ackerman says the event gives the state’s veterans a chance to learn about their benefits.

A forum next week in Lincoln focuses on the health care needs of veterans.

The VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa is hosting the forum next Wednesday evening. It’s an opportunity for veterans to ask questions about health care and find out what services they’re eligible for.

There are approximately 1500 homeless veterans in Nebraska and around 200,000 nationwide.

A new partnership announced this morning would work to make Nebraska the first state to end veterans’ homelessness.  Mayor Jim Suttle and Mike Fornear of the Homeless Veterans Project, were joined by civic and business leaders to discuss the new project called “Vets Town.” 

VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa officials estimate several thousand veterans in their service territory are homeless or living below the poverty line.

The VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa is partnering with Omaha’s Together Inc. to offer a food pantry for homeless and low-income veterans. The pantry opened April 18th and will operate on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

VA of Nebraska-Western Iowa spokesman Will Ackerman says they hope to provide another resource to veterans struggling to get by.