Administrative Update

This blog is no longer active. To see what Soldiers' Angels is doing in Illinois, please visit Illinois Soldiers' Angels.

Card Making Party

Crystal has organized a Card Making Party to Make Christmas Cards for the 400 Hines VA patients. And We need some Angels to help.

Sunday, December 13, 2009
Time: 1:15 PM to 4:30 PM
At: La Grange Park Public Library
555 N. La Grange Rd (North of Odgen and South of 31st Street)
La Grange Park, IL 60526


Please email Crystal at deterscrystal@aol.com if u are able to make it.

VA Announces $36 Million in Grants for Homeless Programs

VA Announces $36 Million in Grants for Homeless Programs

WASHINGTON (Sept. 23, 2008) - Homeless veterans in 35 states, theDistrict of Columbia and Puerto Rico will get more assistance, thanks toDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) grants providing $36.7 million tocommunity groups to create 1,526 beds for homeless veterans this year. "These grants provide a helping hand to veterans who have served ournation in uniform," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B.Peake. "Our partnerships with community-based organizations providesafe, temporary housing while these veterans return to productivelives." VA has identified public and community non-profit groups eligible toreceive payments for housing and supportive services to homelessveterans, including 49 grants for vans that will transport homelessveterans to health care and training programs. The grants are part of VA's continuing efforts to reduce homelessnessamong veterans. VA has the largest integrated network of homelessassistance programs in the country. In many cities and rural areas, VAsocial workers and other clinicians working with community andfaith-based partners conduct extensive outreach programs, clinicalassessments, medical treatments, alcohol and drug abuse counseling andemployment assistance. VA's Grant and Per Diem program helped reduce the number of veterans whoare homeless on a typical night last year by 21 percent to about 154,000veterans. VA also provides health care to about 100,000 homelessveterans, compensation and assistance in obtaining foreclosed homes andexcess federal property, including clothes, footwear, blankets and otheritems. More information about VA's homeless programs is available on theInternet at www.va.gov/homeless.



This is really good news I know for a couple of VA's.

Announcement for ILLINOIS disabled Iraq Veterans only for Illinois...residents

Announcement for ILLINOIS disabled Iraq Veterans
only for Illinois...residents

My uncle is offering a wonderful outdoor experience
for injured Vets hunting and fishing.
The Hilst family Farms wish to offer their service
to disabled Veterans of the current war in Iraq an
opportunity to reconnect with nature.
Beginning Oct. 1 guided own hunting tours will take place on 500 plus acres of private prime hunting ground.
We have several ponds as well for those who like to fish.
The Hunts will take place in Fulton and Cass County in
Illinois. This is the 1st year for the program.
We pray and plan on keeping this up for years to come.
The Dept of Natural Resources allows us only handle a handful of people per day. Therefore this will be a
1st come 1st serve basis.
We will do our best to suit to those with unique
handicaps. Whatever it take to get them out in the field. Do you know someone please pass this information to them .
We have a cabin in the woods that will sleep up to 6 people with all the necessities of home.
Wheelchair accessible Bed and Breakfast on the Illinois river for wheelchair accomodations.
Hot meals will be provided they are inclusive so leave your wallets at home
Please contact Pete Hilst 309-338-0968
Wes Hilst 309 657 3262
Petes e-mail (pchilst@hotmail.com)
Wes Hilst e-mail (rfamil4@yahoo.com)

2008 Stand Down

ello All -

Over 30% of the homeless in Chicago have served in our military. Twice
a year, the VA Hospitals in Chicago hold a Stand Down to provide relief
to the area's homeless veterans and help them prepare for the upcoming
season (Summer or Winter).

The Stand Down gives them a place to eat, rest and interact with others.
The VA Hospital provides wellness checkups, vision and dental exams.
Volunteers provide hair cuts, assistance with employment and housing
forms and legal advice.

This is a very rewarding, moving and humbling event. You will interact
with men that served in Korea, Vietnam and the current conflicts in the
Middle East. Some have been homeless for many years - some have
recently come on hard times due to the economy.


PLEASE COMPLETE THIS SHORT QUESTIONNAIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (even if
you cannot help with this event):

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=6V9O6El_2fhODR5Dx_2bRs_2fHIg_3d_3
d


THANK YOU!
--
Tonya Phipps

VA Team Now Beginning our 2nd Year

ear Friends, Angels and Fellow Americans,

Somewhere tonight sleeping under a bridge or on a sidewalk are many of this great country’s Veterans. Somewhere tonight, going to bed without much if anything for dinner are children, wives, husbands who are veterans themselves or families of veterans. I am speaking of those who have given so much for you and I to have the freedom to protest, go to work in a safe environment, worship as we choose and to vote for the candidate of our choosing in free and honest elections. I have found that there are so many things that we take for granted on a daily basis that thousands of our countrymen have given the ultimate sacrifice for. If you take time in your daily life to look around you; you will see many things that we are free to do that would not be possible if not for these great Americans.

Through my volunteer work with Soldiers’ Angels I have come to realize just how widespread the problems that our Veterans face on a daily basis are. I am speaking of those Veterans from every place our troops have ever been deployed. From World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Kosovo, Somalia, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During my time spent as the Southwestern US VA Team Leader I have worked with and talked with those who have served and their families. The VA tries to meet their needs, but have found themselves to be overwhelmed and not knowing how to handle the influx of Veterans in recent years. Soldiers’ Angels has stepped up to help make a difference and close that gap between their military salaries being gone and their VA Benefits starting. We work daily to help them not only transition back home, but with personal and financial needs until their VA Benefits start coming in, this in itself can take up to six months.

Personal stories are different, but the one constant is that these men and women need our help and support. I cannot tell you how many are on the brink of losing their homes, cars and are finding themselves unemployed and needing to feed their families. A young family comes to mind that dad had come home with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and finds himself jobless, no VA Benefits coming in and needs to feed his family. Many of these heroes are too proud to ask and only after seeing that they can’t provide for their families will they ask for help. So many have said to me, “I don’t need anything, but I do need to feed my children.”

How can we as a country say no to these men and women who have given and continue to give daily so that you and I can enjoy our freedoms?

I come to you today asking for your help in taking care of those who have stood so proudly for us over the years. Soldiers’ Angels can’t do it alone! We are a 501 c3 organization and need your help to take care of those who have given so much for us. Our Veterans team is now celebrating its first birthday and we are so proud of the work that we have been able to do. We want to start our 2nd year out by helping more of these brave warriors than we did last year.

I am asking that in honor of our Soldiers’ Angels VA Team beginning their second year of making sure that we have “NONE FORGOTTEN” that if you can donate $2.00 or more to help us let them know that we will NEVER FORGET their sacrifices’ and that we as a nation will help to take care of them as they have us for so many years.

With heartfelt thanks and on behalf of Soldier’s Angels Veterans Support Team, thank you for any donation you can give. All of your donations are tax deductible.

If you would like to make your donation in honor or memory of a veteran, soldier or someone please contact me at twylachoate @ tx.rr.com and I will tell you how to do that.

Your tax deductible donations can be mailed to Soldiers’ Angels, 1792 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91104. Please indicate on your check that it is for the Soldiers’ Angels Veterans Support Team.

List of Items Needed

Send to Marion VA Medical Healthcare system community affairs Voluntary Service2
401 West Main Street
Marion IL 62959
1.Stamps
2.Writing Materials
3.Lab Robes
4.Refreshments Diabetic cookies etc
5.Coffee supplies
6.Reading Material Western and Mysteries no magazines over 3 months oldand no hard back books
7.Personal care items shaving cream disposable razors combs (unbreakable plastic pocket type all sizes) toothbrushes and paste deodrant shampoo hair picks and brushes Laundry detergent non skid suff slippers denture cleanser.adhesive reading glasses sweats suits L-2xcare kits hand held radios fingernail clippers
8.pre paid phone cards
9.cd/am/fm cassette players