Resources

How to Start a Veterans Support Group

For guidance in setting up your Veterans Support Group, please reach out to our staff for your region.

Resources

The VA Center for Faith (CF) can help your organization by:

  • Arranging suicide prevention training with a licensed VA Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) from the local VA Medical Center (VAMC).
  • Collaborating to host an in-person outreach event.
  • Provide VA resources and tools to share with Veterans in your organization.
  • Collaborating to identify VA subject matter expert to brief on a specific Veteran centric topic.

Your organization can help Veterans in the following ways:

  • Provide Veterans with transportation to medical appointments.
  • Help recently housed Veterans obtain furniture and housing supplies.
  • Educate yourself, Veterans, and others about VA benefits and services and how a Veteran can apply for them.
  • Learn the signs of a Veteran or a Veteran’s family member in distress.
  • Encourage Veterans to use the VA services they earned.
  • Volunteer with the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) at volunteer.va.gov.
  • Visit a hospitalized Veteran.
  • Establishing a Veteran Support Group (VSG) for Veterans to connect with each other and Veteran centric resources.

Sign-up to create a Veteran Support Group

5 Steps to Start a Veteran Support Group

For guidance in setting up your Veterans Support Group, please reach out to our staff for your region.

Step 1: Identify number of Veterans, survivors and caregivers in your organization

  • Set-up recruiting tables before and after service/event (awareness and sign-up)
  • Create a tracking system to identify veteran population within organization

Step 2: Create a Veteran Support Group mission/vision statement

Step 3: Elect Veteran Support Group leadership council officers (President Vice President, Secretary, etc.)

Step 4: Hold monthly or quarterly meetings with officers and members of your organization

Step 5: Develop a strategic/tactical plan for the upcoming year

  • Weekly/monthly group, activities, trips, seminars, etc.
  • Connect with local VA Medical Center (VAMC), Vet Centers, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC’s), and local VA Regional Benefits office.

Goals

Goal 1: Partner with the VA Center for Faith (CF):

  • Host an annual/quarterly in-person collaborative outreach event.
  • Request current VA resources and information (choose from CF library of webinars/resources at our home page under “resources”).

Goal 2: Recognize Veterans in your organization:

  • Recognize Veterans during primary service/event during month of November (around Veterans Day), and May (military appreciation month).
  • Host a banquet/luncheon during the month of May and/or November to recognize and honor Veterans, Vietnam Veterans, and military service members.

Other ways to connect with

VA Center for Faith Veteran Support Group Regional Map

Executive Director
Candace.Cieslo@va.gov

Director
Conrad.Washington@va.gov

Responsible for Regions 5-7

Region 5
Iowa
Illinois
Minnesota
Missouri
Wisconsin

Region 6
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota
Wyoming

Region 7
Arkansas
Colorado
Kansas
Louisiana
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Texas

Trulesta “Tru” Pauling

Senior Program Specialist
Trulesta.Pauling@va.gov

Responsible for Regions 1-3

Region 1
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Maine
New Hampshire
New York
Rhode Island
Vermont

Region 2
District of Columbia
Delaware
Maryland
New Jersey
Pennsylvania

Region 3
Indiana
Kentucky
Michigan
Ohio

.

William Morales Jr.

Program Specialist
William.Morales2@va.gov

Responsible for Regions 4, 8-10

Region 4
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
Mississippi
North Carolina
Puerto Rico
South Carolina
Tennessee

Region 8
Arizona
Utah
Idaho
Nevada

 

Region 9
Alaska
Oregon
Washington

Region 10
California
Hawaii