 American Legion --
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has announced the creation of a $29 million fund that will provide assistance to eligible homeless Veterans and veterans participating in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has announced the creation of a $29 million fund that will provide assistance to eligible homeless Veterans and Veterans participating in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act authorize VA to provide this assistance to eligible homeless Veterans through the end of fiscal 2027. The law specifically enables VA to provide:
- Goods and services, such as food, shelter, clothing, blankets and hygiene items, as well as tablets, smartphones, disposable phones and other technology that supports the stability and health of Veterans by facilitating easier connection with service providers, prospective landlords, and family members.
- Transportation that helps Veterans attend medical appointments, search for housing and employment, or obtain food and supplies.
As part of the program, VA medical centers will be able to provide goods and services to Veterans, starting in early fiscal 2027. Up to $11 million worth of this aid will be distributed to homeless Veterans upon the recommendation of VA clinicians across the country, and VA will track the distribution of this assistance nationally.
VA is also inviting transportation companies to submit proposals to offer transportation services to homeless Veterans so they can attend medical appointments, counseling and other necessary appointments. VA expects to award these contracts by September 2026, and once they are operating, VA expects to provide up to $18 million worth of free transportation services for homeless Veterans.
This funding is one of several initiatives VA is undertaking to prevent Veteran homelessness:
- In June, VA launched a new Partial Claims Program, which can help Veterans with financial struggles avoid foreclosure. This is one of several ways VA helps Veterans keep their homes – in fiscal 2025 alone, VA worked with mortgage servicers to help 173,000 veterans avoid foreclosure.
- VA continues to implement President Trump’s executive order to create the National Center for Warrior Independence on the West LA VAMC campus. In May, VA announced a request for proposals to build housing for another 220 Veterans there.
- In fiscal 2025, VA housed 51,936 homeless Veterans, the most in seven years.
- In fiscal 2025, VA issued $902 million in grants to fight Veteran homelessness.
If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk of homelessness, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838) to take advantage of the support made possible by this authorization and learn about VA’s programs for Veterans exiting homelessness.
Thank you, Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway for your very generous donation to the Vet Center. Dayton VA Assistant Director Jermaine Sterling and Veteran Outreach Program Specialist Scott Page accepted the $10,000 check on Wednesday. The Vet Center is a community-based counseling center that provides social and psychological services to Veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members and their families. The money will be used for different programs and materials. Racino General Manager Tim Kelley said the donation was a no brainer considering the number of Veterans in the Dayton area. A dollar was donated from every hamburger sold at their food and beverage outlets during a promotional campaign.
Construction is scheduled to start for the expanded parking lot on August 24th at 7am. This is the grass area on the corner of Missouri and Minnesota, across from building 315 (Sim Center).
The number 320 on the map indicates how many new parking spaces will be added.
No one will be able to park in the grass area until after construction is complete and will need to park in other parking areas around the campus.
The new parking lot is scheduled to be completed in mid-October.
VA Police recently took part in several National Night Out events around the Miami Valley. Officers Layne Byers and Kole Patterson attended the Middletown event. Sergeant Juston Walker was in Riverside and Sergeant Ryan Smith was at the Huber Heights National Night Out.
The Dayton VA Women’s Program is hosting a Facebook Live event on Wednesday, August 26th at 6pm. It’s a public forum about services Dayton VA offers women Veterans. Join the event on our Facebook page Dayton VA Medical Center.
Military Retiree Appreciation will be Friday, August 28th at 8 A.M - 2:30 P.M.
Held at Wright-Patt Community Center. See flyer for more details.
Overdose Awareness Day is Monday, August 31, 2026. The Dayton VA is observing this important day with a resource table in the lobby of building 330 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Staff will provide information to Veterans about treatment and how recovery is possible.
The Legal Clinic for Veterans is starting back up now that the college school year is starting back up. It will be on Monday, September 14th.
Save the date for Thursday, September 24th for an event on campus for Suicide Prevention Month. See flyer for more details.
VA Police are now locking the North Liscum and Gettysburg vehicle gates at 8:00 p.m. every day, and unlocking them at 5:00 a.m. The South Liscum gate (close to 35) will remain open 24/7. This is strengthening physical security on our campus due to some recent activity in the area.
The annual Stand Down will be held Friday, October 2nd at 10:00 a.m. in the theater and multipurpose room of building 305. See flyer for details.
For 20 years, VA’s MOVE! weight management program has supported more than 1.3 million Veterans in achieving their health goals
 ***Click here for more information on the program: https://www.move.va.gov/ Veterans interested in the program can call extension 1699.
The Farmers Market is every Thursday through October 15th from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the picnic pavilion. The food trucks scheduled for this week are Frozen Fox, Lumpia Queen, Schmidt’s and Hell Belly Burritos. The Farmers Market is open to the public.
Veterans are encouraged to use Direct Deposit to get payments faster and safer.
 Veteran Royal C. Johnson was a U.S. Representative from South Dakota whose work in Congress shaped how we care for Veterans. But he wasn’t a Veteran heading into Congress; he took a leave of absence to join the Army as a private and serve in World War I. It was a war he had voted against.
***Click to read story: https://vaww.insider.va.gov/freedom-250-veteran-advocate-royal-c-johnson/
**VA is celebrating some of the Veterans who served so we may enjoy freedom. They’re the reason the country made it to 250 years. See all their profiles on the Freedom 250 web page.
We are more than two months in with the new Electronic Health Record (EHR). We are still going through some growing pains, including with delays in answering phone calls. We appreciate your patience as we continue this transition. These changes are designed to improve coordination and continuity of care for Veterans. If you get your healthcare here, thank you for trusting Dayton VA with your health care.
A free monthly fitness program at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
See flyer below for more details.
The Women Overcoming & Winning (W.O.W.) social group meets the first Monday of each month. The next meeting will be, September 14th, from 6:00-7:30pm in building 305. Women Veterans are encouraged to attend.
A free monthly program is live every Tuesday from 1:00 - 2:00 PM.
See flyer below for more details.
The next Coffee Club meeting will be on Tuesday, September 8th. Dayton VA Medical Center Outreach Team will be in attendance. See information below.
Show your support for Veterans in their fight against suicide on Saturday,
September 5th at the Springfield Silent Watch.
 Less scroll, more soul. Taking time away from screens can help you reconnect with what matters most: your health, your relationships, and your daily life. Spirit and soul are an important part of your well-being. What helps you reconnect?
***Click here for more information: https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/circle-of-health/spirit-soul.asp
 Dayton VA Veterans, staff and retirees have free access to more than 100 live, online Ompractice classes weekly, an on-demand video library & new programming every month.
**Click here for video library: https://app.ompractice.com/videos
Register with Ompractice for free: https://app.ompractice.com/veteransaffairs
Veterans, if you can't make your appointment, call and cancel so another Veteran can take it.
The Coffee Hour and 12 Step Meetings are offered by Mental Health to all Veterans in recovery, even if not engaged with Mental Health.
Open to active duty, Veterans, National Guard, Reservist and widowed families. Thursdays 10am - 2pm and Mondays 6pm - 8pm.
See details below.
 Busy fall schedules can make healthy eating more challenging. With simple planning and one-pot recipes, weeknight cooking gets easier. Veterans, join a Healthy Teaching Kitchen class or connect with a VA dietitian to start!
***Click here: https://www.nutrition.va.gov/NUTRITION/docs/Cookbooks/OnePotMealsCookbookNOV2022.pdf
The Dayton VAMC now has a Medical Legal Partnership (MLP) with Legal Aid of Western Ohio (LAWO). They will be offering civil legal services for all Veterans that qualify. They will be on site every Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to 2pm in Building 409, first floor, Homeless Program. Walk-ins are welcome or they can reach out directly to LAWO by phone at (888) 534-1432 or online at | 
