Led by Fifth District County Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, Santa Barbara County hosted its first-ever "Stand Down" event on Saturday, October 13th at the Santa Maria Fairpark to connect homeless and unemployed veterans with a wide array of services in one location. A total of 192 veterans, including 74 homeless veterans and their families attended.
The event was the culmination of more than a year of planning by over 60 agencies, including the Department of Social Services. There was a total of 500 volunteers working the Stand Down at any given time, with a total of 700 volunteers working throughout the day--a real outpouring of community desire to give back to the veterans that have served our country.
Stand Down is a military term designating that a combat unit is temporarily moved out of the field and back to base camp for rest and rehabilitation. Homeless veterans are, in some ways, comparable to soldiers in a war zone – living exposed in the field, surviving by their wits on limited rations while enduring extreme conditions. Life on the street is debilitating, and for many veterans it leads to a cycle of despair and isolation. Stand Down was designed as an intervention to bring a wide range of essential services to veterans, to help them reintegrate into the local labor force by addressing the complex problems and barriers they may experience.
Transportation was provided from seven
DSS played some crucial roles in planning, organizing and executing the Stand Down. Division Chief Frank Mejia coordinated the 61 service and employment providers present to provide services and referrals. Eligibility Supervisor Marian Acosta was tasked with issuing volunteer passes to the many agencies and volunteers, as well as serving as Bus Pass Custodian on the day of the event. Management Analyst Heather Gardner obtained Federal and State Grants to get funding to purchase shoes and back-packs filled with non-perishable foods, Subway gift cards, and basic necessities for the homeless veterans.
In addition, many dedicated employees stepped up to help. Some did prep work such as planning, ordering and packing supplies, creating forms and maps, and stuffing backpacks. Others helped on the day of the event by assisting veterans as needed, or manning one of the two DSS tables where participants connected with DSS programs and services. All of their hard work made the Stand Down a big success. A special thanks goes to Santa Maria-based DSS employees Eliazar Alfaro, Maria Estella Arellano, Tricia Beebe, Carolina Carrillo, Stephanie Diaz, Eva Didion, Luis Dominguez, Ryan Fisher, Esther Herrera, Manuel Ledesma, Maria Magana, Londie Morales, Eva Ochoa, Armanda Ramos, Alice Razo, Lupe Salinas, Philamer Tambio-Yeh, and Adalberto Velasquez.
In addition, we would like to recognize our employees and partner agencies at the Santa Maria Workforce Resource Center for the many fundraisers and clothing/supply drives held in their office in the months leading up to Stand Down. The fundraising and drives were spearheaded by Andrea McGrath, Laura Monreal, Elizabeth Noriega, Noemi Gaytan and Mona Baker.
For those of us fortunate enough to attend Stand Down and talk to participating veterans and look into their eyes, it was clear that our heartfelt efforts boosted their morale and self-worth.
Video of the event can be viewed at http://youtu.be/-cNWQGpaiTk.
