Vets 4 Vets Receives Local Grants

Vets 4 Vets, a Santa Cruz County non-profit supporting local veterans, is honored to announce the receipt of two grants that will assist in providing services to veterans in need. The organizations awarding these grants are Community Foundation Santa Cruz County and Progressive Insurance through their Progressive Keys to Progress Program.

Community Foundation Santa Cruz County (www.cfscc.org) awarded a $3000 grant to support the mission of Vets 4 Vets, which includes providing limited emergency assistance to veterans for food, housing, clothing, healthcare, transportation and employment services not met through traditional or existing support means.

This generous grant makes it possible for Vets 4 Vets to connect veterans to more substantial benefits and resources, as well as increase its service capacity from 32 to 75 local veterans in need. It will also help narrow the timeline to direct services.

Dean Kaufman, the founder and president of Vets 4 Vets, said, “Vets 4 Vets is extremely excited about working with Community Foundation Santa Cruz County! We are now able to serve even more of our veterans with these new grant funds, and work in some of the underserved areas of the County.

We look forward to continued success in growing our services and working with other organizations in the County to better serve those who served [in the U.S. Military].”

Progressive Insurance, in partnership with Elite Auto Body of Concord, CA, through the Progressive Keys to Progress Program, presented a vehicle to Vets 4 Vets during a ceremony at the Progressive office in Walnut Creek.

The 2014 VW Tiguan will allow Vet 4 Vets Santa Cruz to expand its ability to provide consistent transportation services. Some examples of the support provided by Vets 4 Vets that veterans will benefit from as a result of this generous donation, include transportation to Palo Alto, San Jose, and Marina veteran medical offices, and other appointments, as well as moving services.

In addition to providing emergency and transportation services, Vets 4 Vets holds ongoing events to build community amongst veterans and raise funds to support its mission.

Join the monthly meetings held on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm in the Veteran’s Hall basement in Santa Cruz.

Special events include V4V holiday party, chili cookoff in April, bowling tournaments twice a year in October and May, movies shown during February and March, beach cleanups, and other activities.

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For more details about events go to https://www.vets4vetssantacruz.org/the-relief/ or to Vets 4 Vets Facebook page.

To become involved through volunteering or giving, or if you are a veteran in need, contact Vets 4 Vets at (831) 420-7348 or www.vets4vetssantacruz.org/contact-us. For more information about Vets 4 Vets please visit the website at www.vets4vetssantacruz.org/.