Hundreds of Veterans receive fresh produce at Phoenix VA Medical Center
More than 600 bags filled with healthy, fresh vegetables were distributed by the Phoenix VA Health Care System at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center on Sept. 12, as a way of saying thank you to Veterans for their service.
Veggies for Veterans started in April of 2017 at Victory Place, an apartment complex that gives preference to Veterans. Since then, it has partnered with the Phoenix VA and has grown to serve many more Veterans.
Veteran Raymond De La Cerna, Sr. said, “I eat a lot of vegetables and fruits and vegetables are my favorite foods to eat, so I think it was great” that the VA was distributing bags filled with vegetables today. “I would love it even more if the VA held luncheons and cookouts and had more organizations distributing items to Veterans on a regular basis.”
The Veggies for Veterans event is held five times a year at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center and now includes events at the Phoenix 32nd Street VA Clinic three times a year, said Event Coordinator and Phoenix VA Nurse Practitioner Isabel Kozak.
The Veggies for Veterans event is made possible because of a very strong partnership between the VA and the community.
“We could not do this without President and CEO of Outreach Services, Diana Gregory. Diana solicits all the funds, gets the sponsors, and the sponsors donate to her,” said Kozak. “She takes care of buying all the produce, getting the produce here, and then all volunteers.”
The event’s sponsor was Fry's and everyone who participated in this event was volunteers.
Fry’s Volunteer Yvonne Corpus said, “I love this opportunity. This is what makes my heart super happy. I'm all about the volunteer events and coming out and showing our support and the love and for those who have served.”
“It's just people helping, and a lot of the volunteers are Veterans themselves. It's Veterans volunteering for veterans. I'm just thankful because we have a very strong partnership. I know a lot of VAs don't have this, but we have this. It's a community partnership that I’m very happy we have,” said Kozak.
Navy Veteran Lynda Foy said, “thank you” for hosting this event and that the event was “wonderful, because vegetables are so much healthier, and I’m trying to eat healthier now.”