Veterans Outreach Center Executive Director to speak in Albany in support of bolstering services for veterans
Rochester, NY – Veterans Outreach Center Executive Director and U.S. Army Veteran Laura Stradley has been invited to provide key testimony at a public hearing on ‘Restructuring the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services’ on October 21 in the Legislative Office Building in Albany.
The New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (NYSDVS) and the Subcommittee on Women Veterans are holding this public hearing to review the purpose and structure of New York State Division of Veterans Services, including the possibility of elevating the Division to a department, to ensure the best possible services are available to New York’s Veterans and their families. The NYSDVS was established over 75 years ago to serve World War II veterans. Today, the Division serves veterans and service members from all eras but remains relatively unchanged in structure and purpose.
“Public and private partnerships are essential if we want to deliver the best quality services to our veterans. Many people mistakenly assume that the federal government (through the Department of Veterans Affairs) shoulders this responsibility alone, and that is simply not true,” Stradley said. “When our men and women return from war and military service, we have an obligation- but more
importantly, the privilege- to support their needs at the state and local levels. Government can’t do it alone, but we are so pleased to see that NY State is calling on the Veterans Outreach Center to help determine how best to serve our veteran population.
“We are grateful that NYS is choosing to bolster services to the veterans in this state, and we will not only help advise them in this process, but we will also continue to meet the evolving needs of our service members at the Veterans Outreach Center.”
Since 1973, Veterans Outreach Center has been committed to improving the quality of life for veterans and their families by offering free, veteran-specific services, including employment counseling, vocational training and housing for homeless Veterans. For more information about VOC services please call 585.546.1081 or visit www.vocroc.org.
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