Orlando Sentinel
By Caitlin Dineen
September 27, 2014
Tufts of salt-and-pepper hair fell past Michael Clancy's blue eyes and landed on his shoulders and the floor space around him.
Clancy, who turned 54 Friday, was one of more than 300 homeless veterans in the Orlando region looking for help Saturday.
Haircuts were just one of the eight types of services available at the annual Orlando Veterans Stand Down, which first started in 2008. The daylong event took place at the Downtown Orlando Recreational Center on North Parramore Avenue.
"My next haircut will be the next Stand Down," said the Navy veteran, who sat wrapped in a black salon cape with the toes of his blue-and-gray sneakers poking out.
The Stand Down was sponsored by the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center and partner agencies. Providing wraparound services is crucial to battling homelessness among veterans in Orlando and Central Florida, said VA officials.
"The combat field is a little bit different," said Ken Mueller, coordinator of health care for homeless veterans with the Orlando VA. "It's not the combat of war, but combat of the street."
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"Stand down" helps homeless veterans get back up
KBOI 2 News Idaho
By Jacqulyn Powell
Published: Sep 27, 2014
BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) - Around 200 of the Treasure Valley's homeless veterans got special care at Boise's Homeless Veteran Stand Down. The vets were given food, clothes, medical care, showers, haircuts and other gear they need for the winter.
In combat, the phrase "stand down" means a quick time to rest and get refitted before heading out to battle.
"The Homeless Veterans Stand Down is for homeless veterans that are struggling, that could use a little rest, some medical care, some basic needs and some gear to help them prepare for the winter," said John Porch, who works at Boise's Department of Veterans Affairs and serves as committee chair for the Homeless Veterans Stand Down.
At the event, struggling vets were offered heavy coats, boots and warm clothes. They were also given sleeping bags and sleeping mats to help keep them warm and dry over the next few months. All of it was retired military gear.
"I was in the Army for 12 years as an airborne infantryman, so I'm very familiar with all of this stuff," said Dough Strand, a homeless vet. "The military wouldn't let us keep any of it. But it's nice to get it now, because I need it now."
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Homeless Veterans Get Help At “Stand Down” Event In Cherry Hill
CBS Philly
Hadas Kuznits
September 27, 2014
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Hundreds of homeless veterans took advantage of the services provided at this year’s “Stand Down” event Friday at the National Guard Armory in Cherry Hill.
The goal of Stand Down 2014 is to help homeless U.S. war veterans re-enter mainstream society.
“They come through and they get a medical screening here, they get access to social services here.” says Jim Maher, chairman of Stand Down in South Jersey. “We give them a meal, we give them clothing, a haircut if they want, they get eyeglasses.”
Maher says while they provide services to take care of the veterans’ physical needs…
“It’s really important that they get the medical aspect of what they do,” he says, “and the social services.”
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