Support our Local Veterans Strong Community Center!

Here is a letter from the Executive Director, Donna Dognin:

April 16, 2020

I am writing to let each of you know that during these unprecedented times, Veterans Strong Community Center is still “open” and remains committed to serving Veterans – Past, Present and Future.  While we may not be able to assist face-to-face, we are able to connect via phone, text, email and social media.  The cell phone for the Center is 860-951-6686 and is responded to Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm.  Please feel free to share this information among your clients and constituents.  We are doing our best to meet the continued needs of the Veterans in our communities – Bristol, Burlington, Harwinton, Plainville, Plymouth, Thomaston and Wolcott.  In lieu of being able to do physical outreach, we are conducting Facebook Live events on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 1:30 pm.  If anyone has any questions, concerns, or comments, we encourage you to share with us.

We continue to be a resource for Veterans – helping a local recent widow connect with a Veteran Service Officer to complete survivor and funeral benefits; assist a local Veteran transition to his own apartment from transitional housing; arrange for a cell phone for an elderly Veteran that had no means to contact the VA for vital healthcare appointments; loan a computer to a local Veteran so that he could continue his online job search, with the closing of the American Job Center and the public library; and provide as needed items from our food pantry and clothing closet – personally delivering items and maintaining social distancing recommendations.  We are also being pro-active and reaching out to our clients to check in and see if they need anything.  We have been able to provide some groceries and home-made face masks as well.  We continue to maintain our relationship with various committees and groups so that we can utilize the services and resources that are available and be able to share timely and relevant information with our clients.

We have been impacted, like many other non-profits, in that we are unable to conduct many of our usual fundraisers.  This health crisis coincidentally coincided with grant funds being fully spent for our part-time assistant.  Not being able to conduct fundraisers has caused us to reduce staff.  During this time, we do ask if you can help support any of our virtual fundraisers, it would be greatly appreciated.  We have a raffle for $1000 – $500 each to ShopRite and South Side Meat Market or $1000 cash.  We also have a spice sale in collaboration with Nutmeg Spice Company.  We can accept PayPal: [email protected] or Venmo @ Donna-VSCC; or you can send a check made payable to Veterans Strong Community Center for either of these fundraisers.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach us by the cell phone 860-951-6686 or email at [email protected] or [email protected].  We are all in this together!