Bay Pines VA offers veterans support and services at resource fair

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. —  This weekend, veterans were able to find helpful resources all in one place.

The VA Hospital in Bay Pines hosted a Resource Fair on the Medical Center’s campus. Multiple agencies and organizations were on hand, offering a wide range of information and services.

The event was the first of its kind to be hosted by the hospital, and the person responsible for making it happen was Outreach Coordinator and Veteran Kelly James.

“The meat potatoes is like what we give them every day right we give them a full course meal with their healthcare and so the gravy is when you get to come here and socialize with other veterans and socialize with our staff and really get to know how many community partners are there for you and everything that they have to offer,” she said.

Everything from legal services, housing to aging care were offered, along with options for primary care, The Women’s Clinic and mental health.

And helping them along the way – fellow veterans.

“It’s like they’re walking with their own village. They’re here with other veterans, and when they run into each other, it’s an automatic bond,” James said.

Tiffany Feen with the American Legion said while the VA does offer many services, some veterans may not be aware that they exist, and if they are, they might not be eligible, which can sometimes lead to frustration and a feeling of helplessness.

“When you see how many people are suffering and how many people it’s affecting, and it’s just the way it is so when you have the ability to have a community come together and you have the village let’s make the village bigger,” she said with tears in her eyes.

And that’s where the American Legion and other community partners come in – to help them understand what’s out there for them.

“What doesn’t get covered under legislation, we can help them with. Through Project Relief, we can fill in the gap,” Feen said.

And sometimes James said, veterans just need a break from life for a day

“This is their village,” she said.