The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs will be visiting eight Hoosier communities over the next several weeks, holding Community Outreach events that will offer veterans, active duty members and their dependents opportunities to connect with services and prospective employers.
All events are free. To help organizers plan and staff each event, free registration can be accomplished by going to the links provided beside each location. Each event will be held from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. (local time) in the following communities:
Oct. 27 – Valparaiso – Porter County Expo Center, 215 E. Division Road, Valparaiso – Register at eventbrite.com/e/valparaiso-veterans-community-outreach-event-tickets-13778029457
Oct. 28 – South Bend – Ivy Tech Community College, 220 Dean Johnson Blvd, South Bend – Register at eventbrite.com/e/south-bend-veterans-community-outreach-event-tickets-13784075541
Oct. 29 – Ft. Wayne – Ivy Tech Community College, Coliseum Campus, Room 1640, Fort Wayne – Register at eventbrite.com/e/ft-wayne-veterans-community-outreach-event-tickets-13783862905
Nov. 6 – Terre Haute – Ivy Tech Community College Terre Haute Main Campus, The Community Room, 8000 South Education Drive, Terre Haute – Register at eventbrite.com/e/terre-haute-veterans-community-outreach-event-tickets-13784151769
Nov. 13 – Bloomington – Ivy Tech Community College, 200 Daniels Way, Hoosier Times Student Commons, Bloomington – Register at eventbrite.com/e/bloomington-veterans-community-outreach-event-tickets-13783192901
Nov. 20 – Columbus – Ivy Tech Community College, 4475 Central Avenue, Columbus Learning Center, Columbus – Register at eventbrite.com/e/columbus-veterans-community-outreach-event-tickets-13783471735
Dec. 4 – Lafayette – Ivy Tech Community College, Grand Hallway, 3101 S. Creasy Lane, Lafayette – Register at eventbrite.com/e/lafayette-veterans-community-outreach-event-tickets-13784175841
Dec. 9 – Kokomo – Indiana Wesleyan, Kokomo Education and Conference Center, 1916 East Markland Avenue, Kokomo – Register at eventbrite.com/e/kokomo-veterans-community-outreach-event-tickets-13783951169
Those interested can attend more than one community outreach event.
Additional outreach events will be planned for Muncie, New Albany, Bedford and Jasper. Those interested in attending events in these communities can visit in.gov/dva/index.htm and go to the bottom of the viewing page to find updated information, or they can call (317) 232-3910 or (800) 400-4520.
“Each event will provide information and assistance with VA benefits, claims processing, remission of fees and even what to do if someone wants to enroll or return to college,” said Deanna Pugh, director of Veterans Employment and Education. “The Indiana State Police, Dish, NiSource, United States Postal Service, Kroger and Lowes will be among the companies and organizations looking to hire employees to work in these communities. We will also offer Dale Carnegie sessions to help veterans prepare for interviews. We’re very excited about connecting our resources to our veteran communities and helping link those who have served our country with the many services designed specifically to assist them.”
A new state law that took effect July, 1, 2014, allows for approximately 26,000 post-911 veterans to apply for assistance through the Military Family Relief Fund. This new law eliminates the three-year restriction on access to the fund, which provides grants that may be used for needs such as food, housing, utilities, medical services, transportation and other essential family expenses. The Military Family Relief Fund has a balance of more than $7 million, and lifting the cap will ensure those funds are available to support Hoosier veterans and their families.
“We are forever indebted to our Hoosier heroes and their families who serve and sacrifice for our nation,” said Governor Mike Pence. “As evidenced by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Community Outreach tour, the state of Indiana is dedicated to helping our veterans find employment and linking them to services that can assist their families during times of hardship.”
Since taking office in 2013, Governor Pence has signed into law legislation that demonstrates a clear commitment to Hoosiers who have served our nation in uniform, from investing more money in job training and expanding access to grants for military families to certifying Veteran Service Officers in every Indiana county, in order to ensure our heroes get the benefits they deserve.
Since its establishment in 1945, the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) has remained focused on aiding and assisting “Hoosier” veterans, and qualified family members or survivors, who are eligible for benefits or advantages provided by Indiana and the U.S. government.
