RECOGNIZING THE ORANGE COUNTY VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES COLLABORATIVE; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 175
(Extensions of Remarks - October 09, 2020)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E938]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE ORANGE COUNTY VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
COLLABORATIVE
______
HON. HARLEY ROUDA
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, October 9, 2020
Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Orange County
Veterans and Military Families Collaborative for its outstanding
service to the veterans and military families of Orange County,
California. This organization, a commendable group of dedicated
professionals and volunteers, embodies the spirit of collaboration and
demonstrates the power of our community to come together and solve our
toughest challenges.
Established in 2012 by a small, passionate group of Vietnam War
Veterans, who answered yet another call of duty, the Collaborative
helps to connect veterans, active duty and reserve service members, and
military families across Orange County to quality benefits, services,
and community-based opportunities.
Today, the Collaborative consists of nearly 120 member organizations,
including businesses, government offices at the federal, state and
local levels, non-profits, and officials from the Veterans
Administration. The Collaborative serves the Orange County veteran
community through eleven focus groups--dealing with critical topics
like homelessness, education, and employment--and other efforts, such
as a task force that works with older veterans.
The Collaborative works to ensure all veterans have a place to call
home by helping veterans to secure HUD-VASH benefits and by filling the
gaps for veterans where federal resources are unable to compensate.
Their Housing Working Group monitors the by-name list of homeless
veteran populations in Orange County and deploys rapid responses to
veterans facing homelessness. Their Housing Group has also worked to
house over 100 veterans and their families over the course of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, the Collaborative has made meaningful progress towards
addressing the tragedy of suicide among our veterans. In 2019, the
Collaborative partnered with America's Warrior Partnership to conduct
Operation Deep Dive, a forensic study on the causes of veteran suicides
and self-harm. Their commitment to finding solutions to these issues
reminds us of Congress' own duty and the urgent need to support veteran
groups working on this issue.
In 2018, the Collaborative was recognized as the Community Veteran
Engagement Board for Orange County by the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, deepening their role as an integral part of the Orange County
community.
I ask all Members join me in honoring the Orange County Veterans and
Military Families Collaborative for their work on behalf of over
130,000 Orange County veterans and their families.
____________________