Community Veterans Engagement Board (CVEB) and Joining Community Services (JCS)

Minutes

January 16, 2020

10:30 AM to 1:00 PM

American Red Cross

561 Fortress Dr.

Winchester, VA 22601

• Welcome & Introductions  

• Pledge of Allegiance  

• Guest Speaker (JFC) - FREE Foundation –

20 years ago nonprofit – started in Roanoke VA – provide all Virginia citizens with mobility equipment to keep citizens safe. Donated mobility equipment, wheel chairs, walkers, bathroom equipment, crutches … clean and fight it to people in need with in the community. With the application process, and doctor prescription the equipment is gifted to those who may need it.

        ** just this morning, someone who has been waiting for a year for a wheel chair was able to get one because of this program.

        **Hospital Beds, Hospital tables are also things that are highly sought after.

        ** Spread the word!!! Should not be a “best kept secret” People need to know about the program in order to both use the program and to donate the equipment.

        ** FREE Foundation has partnered with Blue Ridge Hospice … and They are now sending their medical equipment to Free. They are not competing with each other.

        **Looking for volunteers!! Usually only an hour or so at a time
(Former: Hospital 333 W. Cork St. Suite 40) M,T,Th – 12 to 4 –

      ** open to all suggestions about what they can do in the community or any other ideas to promote and grow the program.

        **No resources to pick up or drop off equipment … so very specific about power equipment

• Old Business 

• New Officers – Voting will be next month

• Mike Diaz – Chair
• Adam Packham – (interim) Vice Chair
• Ashley Moslak – Secretary
• Niccole Gatliff – Treasurer
• Anthony Barnes – Advisor

• Leslie moved to accept the nominations, Rich Second

• Outreach to fill other position
• Goals: get motivation back, get VSOs more involved and

• New Business

• Treasure’s Report – 501(c)(3) – $523.29

• Money spent on 501(c)(3) submission, Bluehost, and org. domain

• PO Box

• Motion to purchase PO box Mike Diaz
• Second Bruce Randal
• All agree

• Meetings can now always be at Red Cross – whole year have been booked.
  

• Open Discussion

• Dentist ready to explore possibilities in partnering with Able Forces
• Project Connect – Similar to a “stand-down”- 8 to 2 at the moose Lodge. Its for ALL homeless in and around the area – Its for everyone, but there will be veteran services there too.

• Sound the Alarm is coming up in April

• Up to 3 alarms for free (not just vets … this is for anyone)

• It was true, no phones mac books etc were not allowed to be taken on deployment this time.

• 5,000 deployed, 50 phones (and there are blackout periods)

• Communication – When we are getting information – where are we posting it, how long does it take etc … Going forward we would like to get an action plan together so everyone is up to date on everything that is going on and the Website will be key in that.

• Military Museum – Stephan’s City – June 6th 75th VJ day  Saturday and Sunday – 9:30 – 5:00 (any Veteran Groups want to come, set up a table – let him know and they are more than welcome)

Announcements:

• Hilton Garden Inn - 9:30 –noon:  caregivers’ recourse fair – RSVP required
• Wreath Retirement – National Cemetery – one hour – last Saturday of this month 10:00 am
• Australian Red Cress –(Google) if you would like to know how to donate to help the services there
• VFW looking for post home –
• Compass West Reality – Military relocation specialist -  Diana
• Korean War
• Seth Thatcher – Commoner of Revenue as of 1/2/2020

•  170 veterans received tax relief $266,000 (100% disabled vets)
• spouse KIA – 1spouse - $1800
• Want to see these numbers grow – because they think there are more people in the community that qualify for the program.
• Deadline is April 1st 
• ALL places have the program – but each place will have different forms and different requirements

• First bank has a program that has a program that has JUST for non-profits %2 and then .7 over prime after the 1st year.  – better interest rate
• Coffee (the Warrior Workout Network)
• Honor Flight - 160 vets on 3 missions – 2019 – 3 more coming in 2020
• Saturday – 2-7 Honor Flight will be set up at the Alamo – 1917 will be playing and
• Able Forces Foundation– Immediate financial assistance (wounded, ill and injured Vets – all referrals come from advocates, no cold calls and no one coming in the door.)
• Able Forces Professional Service - employment to wounded will and injured vets and spouses – also does training. Now doing digital court reporting too!! Free to warriors and spouses is about a 4-week program. Transcriptionist training will be coming soon. This will help many homebound vets and spouses as caregivers.
• Fourth Friday of every month At Able Forces Danielle and Andre set up from 9 to 12 because there is no Vet office in Front Royal – Chester St.
• Jim 2/14/2020 – JMU Vietnam commemorative event
• Four State Fundraiser on the 1st 
• Harrisonburg CVEB is starting –
• April – Veteran Resource Fair – Community Center - More info coming
• Once stop shop on website? VA is encouraging to do “Mindful things” - and how to get the money to use them
• More serious cases are “coming out of the woodwork” – Andre
• (Veteran resource fairs) Events are more targeted toward older veterans because they don’t know what benefits they are entitled to
• Andre: office may be moving to Winchester or Front Royal
• Veteran Groups that are popping up all over the place – (PTSD)
• Tim Cook – Director of Martinsburg is leaving and will now be a Director in FL
• The Warrior Workout Network: Andrew Young – Veterans Coffee, Wayside Inn, 1st and 3rd Friday of the month – 9:00 am