How the Food Bank Provides for Veterans
How the Food Bank Provides for Veterans
On this Veteran’s Day, we are especially proud to work with U.S. Vets Long Beach.
U.S. Vets Long Beach is one of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s more than 650 partner agencies on the front lines in the fight against hunger in our local communities.
Coming Together to Support Veterans
Phil served overseas in the United States Navy during the Reagan years. He is currently a resident at U.S. Vets Long Beach, receiving treatment for alcoholism. At the time of this interview, Phil had nearly 80 days in recovery. “Recovery became a priority because it was starting to interfere with my life. I got to the point where I couldn’t even sleep at night without a drink,” he says. “I wasn’t drinking at work, but I’m sure if I had stuck around it would have ended up like that. My hands would start shaking, and it was hard to fill out paperwork. Instead of losing my job and my apartment, I decided to get help.”
There is a growing generation of veterans with new challenges to face. In the past 10 years, two million troops have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. As they return home, many will experience challenges adjusting back to civilian life.
The Food Bank has been providing food to U.S. Vets since 2016
“They give us meats of all kinds, breakfast, eggs, fruits and vegetables,” says Phil. “It’s all pretty nutritious. The meals I receive here help me because I currently have no income. Where would I eat without it?”
Roughly 300,000 returning troops currently suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression and anxiety. Additionally, over 320,000 individuals have suffered a probable traumatic brain injury during deployment. “We come back, we have problems, we’ve seen things that other people haven’t seen, some of us deal with it better than others. Some of us don’t,” Phil explains.
“I’m one of the slower ones to recover. Baby steps, you know? As long as it’s one foot in front of the other, I don’t think it has to be a long stride. At my age, you really have to think about that next step because you know what? There might not be that many steps left. So let’s make them all in the right direction. We give it our best shot.”
Of the Veterans Living in America Today, 63,000 Are Chronically Homeless
Phil is not facing homelessness and is grateful for the support he is receiving through recovery. However, that is unfortunately not the case for many United States Veterans. Although homeless veterans represent a relatively small percentage of the general population, veterans make up nearly 20 percent of the homeless population. Anti-hunger and anti-poverty organizations like U.S. Vets and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank provide vital resources for the men and women who have served our country.
Community support enables the Food Bank to provide vital resources for charitable organizations such as U.S. Vets so people like Phil can have a chance to heal, grow and thrive.
Thank you for supporting our mission so we can serve those who have served our country.
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