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AGAWAM, Mass. (WWLP) – The Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam hosted a special ceremony Monday to pay their respects to our fallen men and women in uniform.
During Memorial Day weekend, many people attend parades, go on trips or have cookouts with friends and family. However, at its heart… Memorial Day is a day when we reflect on the sacrifice of those who have given their lives in military service and that’s what took place in Agawam Monday.
The Armed Forces Medleys played from all of the military branches and one by one, service members stood together in solidarity. William Hall, chairmen of the Springfield Veterans Activity committee told 22News it’s important to never forget our heroes who fought for our freedoms.
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago highlighted
the state’s efforts to support veterans today and every day. Together, they share a special connection with our Veterans and they know the struggles that our service members go through.
Right now, there is a lack of supply and housing which has pushed many veterans into homelessness. Approximately 500 to 600 homeless Veterans live in Massachusetts, many of whom struggle with mental health and substance use issues. The Affordable Homes Act, the End Veterans Homelessness campaign and the HERO Act, are a few of the many pieces of legislation
that aim to invest in the creation of new supportive housing units and make affordable housing more broadly accessible to veterans across the state.
“The HERO Act has been proposed to help ensure that we remain a state that has the highest benefits for Veterans who have served and there’s no more fitting day to talk about that then on Memorial Day where we are honoring are fallen soldiers. So this will put us in a position to ensure that family members of Veterans that we’ve lost in service are protected and vets who are coming back are well served,” said Lt. Governor Driscoll.
“We’ve invested more in veteran homelessness than every before. We recently filed the HERO Act, the most comprehensive Veterans bill in decades so it’s just our commitment to serving those who served us,” said Santiago.
The Affordable Homes Act will commit $200 million to a Housing Innovations Fund to support innovative and alternative forms of rental housing for seniors and veterans. The HERO Act will expand access to behavioral health treatment, increase benefits for disabled veterans, bolster support for businesses that hire veterans among a myriad of other benefits.
They believe that these initiatives will lead to a healthier, more stable Massachusetts for all of veterans and their families.
Melissa Torres is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2021. Follow Melissa on X @melissatorrestv and view her bio to see more of her work.
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