Vet Fest connects Veterans with Health Care and Benefits Resources
By Tramel Garrett, Public Affairs Specialist
The Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System and the Montgomery VA Regional Benefit Office hosted a Vet Fest Resource Fair on July 14 at the Montgomery VA Clinic, connecting Veterans, families and caregivers with health care, benefits and support services.
The event brought programs from the Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Benefits Administration together in one location, allowing attendees to speak directly with representatives, ask questions and receive assistance navigating the services and benefits they have earned.
Veterans received information about VA health care enrollment and eligibility, the PACT Act and the benefits claim process. Veterans Benefits Administration representatives also provided direct assistance through an on-site claims clinic.
The Montgomery Vet Center joined CAVHCS and other participating partners in helping Veterans identify resources that could support their health, wellness and individual benefits needs.
Leadership highlights collaborative outreach
Ahead of the event, CAVHCS Interim Director/CEO Laundrena LaPradd-Bradley and Montgomery VA Regional Benefit Office Executive Director Cory Hawthorne appeared on WSFA’s “Alabama Live” to discuss the resource fair and encourage Veterans to attend.
During the July 13 segment, LaPradd-Bradley and Hawthorne highlighted the partnership between the two organizations and their shared commitment to connecting Veterans with health care, benefits assistance and other resources in one accessible setting.
Their appearance was part of a broader outreach effort to ensure Veterans and their families knew where they could receive in-person assistance, speak with knowledgeable VA representatives and learn more about available programs.
That leadership engagement continued at the resource fair, where CAVHCS and Veterans Benefits Administration teams worked across organizational lines to help Veterans address health care and benefits questions during a single visit.
Bringing services directly to Veterans
Prattville resident and Veteran advocate Andre Williams attended the resource fair and praised the range of services available to Veterans.
“It is absolutely wonderful to see all the resources available here today,” Williams said. “This is something that we need, and I’m an advocate for Veterans and always will be, and this helps Veterans.”
In addition to enrollment and benefits assistance, attendees connected with representatives from Suicide Prevention, the Women Veterans Health Program, Minority Veterans Health, Whole Health, Nutrition, Social Work and Chaplain Service.
The resource fair reflected VA’s whole-person approach to serving Veterans by addressing health care, benefits, wellness and supportive-service needs.
By bringing these programs together, CAVHCS and its partners helped reduce barriers. They provided Veterans with direct access to staff who could answer questions, explain eligibility requirements and guide them toward appropriate services.
The Montgomery VA Regional Benefit Office assists Veterans, service members and their families with benefits that include disability compensation, education, life insurance, pensions and home loans.
CAVHCS remains committed to working with VA and community partners to ensure Veterans throughout central Alabama can access high-quality health care, earned benefits and the resources needed to support their well-being.