Event aims to help clergy, community connect Veterans to benefits and resources
PRESS RELEASE
March 9, 2022
Milwaukee , WI — Reaching Veterans and getting them connected to the benefits they have earned – as well as resources available to them – is the goal of an upcoming event led by chaplains at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center.
The Clergy and Community Symposium will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center, 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive.
“There’s a large group of Veterans who don’t know they may qualify for services,” said Chaplain Robert Allen, head of the Milwaukee VA’s chaplaincy service. “This is to educate community leaders, so they can say to Veterans in their parishes or organizations, ‘Hey, you may qualify for services.’”
Instead of a lecture-based symposium, the March 24 event will be extremely interactive, Allen said, with participants sharing what programs they run and VA sharing what programs it offers.
Participants will be seated at numerous round tables, and they will be encouraged to talk to one another about their successes and how they can do better for the Veterans they serve.
Numerous Milwaukee VA programs will be shared, including mental health, whole health, benefit eligibility, suicide prevention and services for post-9/11 Veterans.
“It’s bringing people together so they can share resources and begin to have the conversation,” Allen said. “We want to keep it engaging and interactive – almost like speed dating. We want people to bring flyers and information about their particular services for Veterans.”
For more information about the symposium or to RSVP, contact Diana Manley, chaplain support assistant, at 414-384-2000, ext. 42160 or email diana.manley@va.gov.