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Greene County presenters outline new veterans relief fund and expanded human services programming
Summary
Presenters described a newly created Veterans Relief Fund, initial donations, and a slate of human services initiatives including internships, mobile outreach and partnerships with Habitat for Humanity.
Amanda Lyons and other presenters described a new Greene County Veterans Relief Fund and several human services initiatives, telling the County Services Committee on Jan. 13 that the fund will accept donations to help veterans of all ages with needs such as medical bills, furnace repairs and application fees.
The presenters said the department’s first deposit to the Veterans Relief Fund was about $2,300 and that a local lodge contributed a $1,500 check. They also announced a department plan to split future veteran-directed donations between the relief fund and an in-house scholarship for children of veterans tied to the county’s summer community day program.
The presenters described several staffing and operational changes in aging and veterans services: clearing clutter from senior centers, creating pools of per-diem drivers and meal-site managers to avoid center closures during staff shortages, preparing emergency ready-to-serve meals, and an internship program coordinated with regional colleges and the school district. An internship resolution was placed on the committee docket for the night.
They said Greene County is arranging outreach to bring veteran services into townships rather than concentrating work in a single office, and that a new veterans roundtable—hosted by a staffer named Tyler—will invite stakeholders across the county and rotate meeting locations. Tyler, who began in December, will also pursue outreach to long-term care facilities and work on veterans’ gravestone-marker distribution.
Committee members asked about locating roundtable meetings at central sites such as Carroll Library and suggested mobile coffee hours and rotating locations to improve access. Members also discussed realigning veteran markers at Catskill Point and using leftover project funds for enhancements; county staff said they can realign an existing marker and add a border.
No formal vote was required for the program descriptions and updates presented during the committee meeting.
Ending: Presenters asked county members for help connecting with local partners for fundraising and in-kind donations; committee members offered contacts and recommended follow-up to finalize internship and outreach logistics.
