County Executive Chris Abele
Press Release

Milwaukee County Offering Help to Aging Veterans

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, the Milwaukee County Veterans Service Office (MCVSO) and the Milwaukee County Department on Aging (MCDA) are organizing a free one-day event to deliver awareness of benefits to eligible aging veterans and their surviving spouses.

By - May 9th, 2013 09:01 am

MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, the Milwaukee County Veterans Service Office (MCVSO) and the Milwaukee County Department on Aging (MCDA) are organizing a free one-day event to deliver awareness of benefits to eligible aging veterans and their surviving spouses. The free event, Connecting Aging Veterans to Their Benefits, is Monday, June 24, 2013, from 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center, 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive.

Free parking will be provided in the O’Donnell Parking Structure located just west of the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center, or in the lot north of the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center.

“It’s important to reach out to our aging veterans and explain the resources and benefits that are available to them and, in many cases, to their surviving spouse,” Abele said.

According to the VA, only 13% of eligible veterans age 65 and older have their benefits processed.

“We’re hoping to change that low number by making more veterans aware of their benefits,“ said Jim Duff, Director of the Milwaukee County Veterans Service Office.

Stephanie Sue Stein, director of the Milwaukee County Department on Aging urges, “If you or your parent or grandparent are an aging veteran or a single surviving spouse of a veteran, please do not miss this event. This is a unique opportunity to have veterans’ benefits professionals and community resource representatives all together under one roof to serve our aging veterans.”

At the Connecting Aging Veterans to Their Benefits event, visitors will be able to sit down with veterans’ benefits representatives and community service staff for an individual one-on-one consultation, sign-up for benefits and ask situational specific questions, all while enjoying free refreshments and learning about available resources.

The event will kick off with a presentation on eligible benefits for veterans provided by the VA.  If you cannot make the 9:00 a.m. presentation, the information will be provided again at 11:00 a.m. The event will close at 1:00 p.m.  To pre-register for this free event, please call 414-289-6640 or email your name and number of persons attending to agingevents@milwcnty.com

This benefits-specific event will feature representatives from the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Benefits Administration, VA Veterans Health Administration, various VA claims agencies, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Military Funeral Honors, American Legion Claims Office, Veterans of Foreign Wars Claims Office, Military Funeral Honors, Union Grove Veterans’ Home and Cemetery, Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association and the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic.  Other community service organizations available at the June 24 event include: Hunger Task Force, Social Development Commission, Interfaith Older Adult Programs, Legal Action, AARP, Wisconsin Arthritis Foundation and the Wisconsin Parkinson’s Association.

“We are very fortunate to have so many available resources for our aging veterans right here in Milwaukee County, and we are pleased to have the major promotional support of 50Plus Magazine and AARP for this event,” Stein said.

The Milwaukee County Department on Aging collaborates with many organizations and members of the community, organizing events and outreach to benefit all aging adults.

For more information about Connecting Aging Veterans To Their Benefits you can log on to www.county.milwaukee.gov/aging or call (414) 289- 5973.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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