Milwaukee County Offers Help to Aging Veterans
Free Event Tomorrow
Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, the Milwaukee County’s Veterans Service Office and the Milwaukee County Department on Aging (MCDA) are once again offering a free one-day event to deliver awareness of benefits to eligible aging veterans and their surviving spouses. Last year’s event drew 500 veterans.
The free event, Connecting Aging Veterans To Their Benefits, is tomorrow from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Milwaukee County War Memorial, 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive.
“This is another program we are offering to help veterans across the county and state,” County Executive Abele said. “Now, more than ever, 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.”
According to the VA, only 13% of eligible veterans age 65 and older will have benefits processed.
“We’re hoping to change that low number by making more veterans aware of their benefits,” said Jim Duff, Director of Milwaukee County Veterans Service Office.
This year’s event will have an additional focus on recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.
Stephanie Sue Stein, director of the Milwaukee County Department on Aging urges, “As our country remembers that it has been 50 years since we sent American’s to serve in the Vietnam War, we invite those Vietnam veterans to join us at our September 15th event. It is our goal to make sure that all who served our nation receive those benefits which can help them live lives of comfort and dignity.”
Free parking will be provided in the O’Donnell Parking Structure located just west of the Milwaukee County War Memorial, or in the lot north of the Milwaukee County War Memorial.
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, Military Funeral Honors, Union Grove Veterans’ Home and Cemetery, Military Order of Purple Heart Claims Office, Vietnam Veteran Association #324 and the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic.
At the Connecting Aging Veterans To Their Benefits event, visitors will be able to sit down with veterans’ benefits representatives and community service staff and secure 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 welcome and 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 2:00 p.m.
Pre-registration is required for this free event, please call 414-289- 6640 or mail your name and number of persons attending to agingevents@milwcnty.com
“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.
For more information about Connecting Aging Veterans To Their Benefits you can log on to www.county.milwaukee.gov/aging or call (414) 289- 6640.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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