North Texas Vet Center holds open house and benefits fair

The Texas Vet Center in Arlington joined community partners to reintegrate Veterans back to the Vet Center with an Open House and Resource & Benefits Fair in early September.

Marine Veteran Charles DeLap was one of the more than 30 Veterans and family members who attended the resource fair.

“I came out to see what information might be useful to me,” DeLap said. “The Vet Center has been helpful and there are some extra things I’ve learned about the program today.”

DeLap served as a forward observer in the Vietnam War.

Representatives on hand included:

• VA North Texas Health Care System
• Center for Transforming Lives
• Warrior Art
• VA’s Veterans Benefits Administration
• Tarrant County Veteran Service Office
• Texas Veterans Commission
• Texas Veteran Network
• Valor Ranch

Welcome back to in-person visits

“This has been a challenging year for all of us and this open house provided information to our Veterans, families and caregivers as we welcomed them back to in-person visits at our Vet Center,” said Veterans Outreach Specialist Bernice Harkins. “Our goal is to engage with our Veterans and share tools and resources that are available within VA and our local community partners.”

Harkins is a 25-year Army Veteran who organized the resource fair.

“The event was two-part, to network with community partners, because we have all been socially distant for a while and get them back involved,” Harkins added. “The second part was to provide resources to our Veterans, such as housing and job opportunities.”

Broad range of services

Vet Centers are community-based counseling centers providing a broad range of counseling, outreach and referral services, free-of-charge in a safe and confidential environment. Its services are available to eligible Veterans, active duty service members (including National Guard and Reserve), and their families.

Veterans in crisis, or friends and family concerned about one, can always connect with caring, qualified responders at VA’s Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, text 838255, or www.veteranscrisisline.net.