After Three Year Hiatus Caused By Pandemic, Stand Down For Homeless Veterans Returns to Newark

(Newark, NJ) --After a three year hiatus due to the pandemic, GI Go Fund once again hosted its “Northern New Jersey Stand Down for Homeless Veterans”, a one-day outreach effort that assisted hundreds of homeless veterans and their families, at the John F. Kennedy Recreation Center in Newark.

Stand Down partners and co-hosts included the city of Newark, the New Jersey State National Guard, the state Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs, and the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs. The event had roughly 150 homeless veterans on hand to receive services, which represents a decrease in veteran participation from previous years.

Working with partners at the federal, state, and county level, the event provided haircuts, medical checkups, flu shots, and HIV testing, as well as counseling and information from private and public agencies about employment services, state and federal veterans’ benefits, substance abuse programs, vocational rehabilitation, recovery programs, hospice care, and legal services.

“It has been a long three years, but we are happy to be back and supporting our homeless veterans in need" said GI Go Fund CEO Jack Fanous. "These men and women have endured the worst of the pandemic, struggling to find the services they needed in a world that was largely shut down from them. Our organization did our part to help, providing delivery of services and clothes to veterans in need. But now that we are back here at the Stand Down, we are glad to give our homeless veterans a complete collection of services to help them get off the streets.”

GI Go Fund has spent the past 16 years providing assistance to all military veterans by helping them find employment, access housing, and secure their educational and health benefits. The group forged a tremendous partnership with the city of Newark in 2008, and has since helped thousands of Newark area veterans and revolutionized the services they receive. Having partnered with great corporate leaders like PSEG and Panasonic, as well as innovative employment services like JobPaths to help veterans train, connect to mentors, and find work, the group is paving the way for the next generation of veterans to get back on their feet.

Special thanks to Prudential's VetNet, Paramount Veterans Network, the city of Newark, NJ Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker, Newark Councilman Joseph McCallum, Secaucus Vet Center, the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the VFW, SoldierOn, Governor Jim McGreevy, and all the volunteers for participating in the event and helping us make it a success.