Veterans advocates in Stamford are raising awareness about various programs designed to assist veterans across the state.
The CT Department of Veterans Affairs held its annual statewide Stand Down for Veterans event at UConn Stamford. The event which highlights programs and services statewide for veterans comes as advocates continue monitoring ongoing federal funding uncertainties over veterans benefits programs.
Patrick Dunn is Deputy Director of Development and Marketing, at The Connecticut Veterans Legal Center. The center provides free legal services to low-income veterans. Dunn said the center has been impacted by federal funding cuts, but stressed its resilience.
“There's a grant that we get through the VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) that was made a two year grant instead of a one year grant, but that lowered the top dollar amount, so we were slightly impacted by that, but currently we are working hard to maintain all of our funding at the current level,” Dunn said.
While other advocates and local officials say they have not heard of any increased complaints over access to veterans benefits programs as a result of federal funding changes, Dunn says he’s seeing those impacts as more veterans look for assistance in managing rising cost of living expenses, including in Fairfield County.
Dunn said his group continues to offer services to veterans. While there is uncertainty over future funding, the need for those services is anything but uncertain.
Dunn said his organization has seen more Connecticut veterans seeking legal assistance to fight evictions.
“Our civil legal team has been doing a lot of housing related cases particularly over the last year, as moratoriums and other kinds of stays have (been) lifted that were enacted during COVID,” Dunn said.
Around 1,800 veterans were assisted by the legal center last year, according to Dunn.
Many veterans advocates are veterans themselves. Tom Moore, the Past Department Commander for the American Legion was a sergeant in the U.S. Army and attended the Stand Down event.
The American Legion, Moore said, helped advocate for the creation of the Veterans Bureau, which later became the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Moore receives medical care from the VA and praised the quality of care.
But he said he’s heard from others there are staffing changes.
Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons said a VA health care clinic serving veterans in Stamford was at risk of being closed down earlier this year but was saved after advocacy by the state’s Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) helped result in a new lease agreement.
Simmons said she is concerned over future funding challenges.
“They've put their lives on the line and the freedoms and rights that we have every day as Americans, we would not have without our veterans,” Simmons said. “So we shouldn't be cutting services.”
The American Legion, Moore said, helps connect veterans with the VA, and also provides other resources, and community to returning servicemembers. One of the initiatives Moore said the legion is involved in, is mental health. He called on veterans and servicemembers experiencing mental health problems to call the Veterans Crisis Line:.
That hotline is available, even for veterans who don’t get VA care.
“If you're a veteran and you hear this and you're looking for help, reach out to our headquarters in Cromwell, 860-436-9986, and we will get you whatever help you need,” Moore said.
