Veterans Stand Down providing resources for those in need

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - For those in need of housing, resources, and services, it can be hard to find all of those in one place. For veterans in need in Sioux Falls, there’s a chance to find all of that once a year.

Many hope that someday it will go beyond just an annual event.

What’s been a staple in Sioux Falls for decades now, the Veterans Stand Down is back again as a one-stop-shop for veterans in need. In one location, those individuals can get clothes, medical and dental checkups, housing referrals, and more.

Veterans Stand Down is a collaboration between a number of different community organizations, and it continues to grow with the growing need for veterans services in the community.

Homelessness and the financial security of veterans in Sioux Falls is a challenge that many of those groups work year-round to try and help overcome. This helps check off many of those boxes for many all at once.

“When we’re thinking about the seriousness of it or the prevalence in our community, this past year we had almost 200 veterans that were coming in transition or in flux. So those are the veterans that we often try and target, and do a lot of prevention work as well,” said Rachel Gangle, the Sioux FAlls VA Homeless Programs Coordinator.

“There’s many things to do to fight the ongoing battle of wellness and homelessness with the veterans. One day of the year really helps, but we’d like to try and do it yearly,” said Josea Bennett, VFW Post 628 Commander.

While the Stand Down is usually the only time of the year something like this happens, a lot of resources are available to those veterans in need.

Numerous organizations that help with the Stand Down are out in the community trying to make sure those individuals have what they need and can work towards permanent solutions for food and housing.

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