Articles:
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Read about New Federal Policy Change to Allow More Veterans to Access Affordable Housing
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Read about fostering pets while owners receive substance treatment
Check out Local Job Opportunities Here
Register Here
Free Dental Care for Veterans & Their Families
NOTICE: VA Phasing out Paper Checks
The VA is phasing out paper checks for veteran disability payments, with a deadline of September 30, 2025, for the transition to electronic payments. Veterans who still receive payments by check must switch to an electronic method, such as direct deposit into a bank account or a Direct Express prepaid debit card, to continue receiving their benefits.
The CVSO can assist veterans with completing the registration for a Direct Express prepaid debit card. They will need a place to receive mail when the card is issued.
Veteran Readiness & Employment Webinar
The webinar will provide insights into the following areas:
- An overview of Chapter 31 VR&E
- The five support and service tracks of VR&E
- On-the-Job Training (OJT) including Non-Paid Work Experience (NPWE) and Special Employer Incentive (SEI)
- Employment Services offered by our Employment Coordinators
- Guidance on the application process
VR&E Ch. 31 - Information Webinar
Hosted by Senoro, Neonee, VBAOAKL
Meeting number: 2824 572 6566
Password: VREChapter.31
Occurs the last Tuesday of every month from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Pacific Time (US & Canada)
www.MountedPatrolFoundation.org
Horses for Heroes - Trail Rides for Veterans
We strive to provide the joy of a horse to veterans who have given so dearly.
Horses for Heroes provides trail rides and lessons for veterans referred by the Veterans Administration Recreational Therapy Program. Over the past years, CHAPS and the MP Foundation have raised funds to provide hundreds of wonderful experiences on the backs of horses.
The MP Foundation is assuming management of this program now. We would like to open this to more veterans, but funding limits this. We are hoping to expand the following programs.
1-Lava Lakes The Lava Lake Injured Veterans Equine (“LIVE”) Program is a horse camping adventure in Idaho. It offers injured veterans an opportunity to experience the benefits of equine therapy in a wilderness setting.
Look at Lava Lakes for more information.
To help prepare for this adventure, we plan to provide rides and lessons for the vets to gain experience and get in shape during the spring time. To provide exposure to trail riding, we also hope to include rides on the wilderness trails at Wunderlich Park. The funding requirement for this is $5,500.
2-Introduction to horses
This program is for veterans who would be interested in enjoying learning about horses and having a ride. The first part of the session would be on grooming and saddling, then a ride in the arena, Perhaps a trail ride on the Webb Ranch property.
These programs will be provided by Jasper Ridge Farm, which is located on Webb Ranch, off Alpine Road in Portola Valley. They have access to the lesson horses and experienced wranglers from Webb Ranch, to provide the program. Jasper Ridge has a covered arena which allows riding on rainy days and hot sunny days. We hope to provide 100 or more rides in 2025, with a funding requirement of $7,500.
The estimated budget for the 2025 year will be $13,000. The Mounted Patrol Foundation will match the first $6,500 that is donated. Any additional funds will be used for additional rides in 2025 and for the program in future years.
For the last several years, veterans who enjoyed the program have been referred by the Recreational Therapy Program at the Palo Alto VA. A therapist may attend the session to provide assistance as necessary. We would like to expand the program to more veterans by working with the San Mateo County Veterans Service Commission and the VA Vet Center in Menlo Park, for referrals to the Introduction to Horses program. This expansion depends on funding.
The Mounted Patrol Foundation is asking for donations from the local equestrian groups and individuals to fund these veterans programs. Contributions will be matched by the MP Foundation on a 1-to-1 basis up to the first $6,500. Any contributions received in excess of this will be retained and used for more veterans trail rides
Please send contributions payable to:
Mounted Patrol Foundation
ATTN: Veterans Riding Program
521 Kings Mountain Road
Woodside, CA 94062-4209
Or use PayPal with the following link:
The Mounted Patrol Foundation is a 501(c) (3) charitable entity, so donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The Mounted Patrol Foundation Taxpayer ID is 75-2991593. Contributions made this year by December 31 may be deductible for tax purposes in 2024.
Thank you for your support. Together we can give back to veterans as thanks for their service.
don@MountedPatrolFoundation.org
Apply for a Lifetime National Park Pass
Eligible veterans may get a National Park Pass for Life. Provide your DD-214 to qualify.
NPower
NPower Bay Area has partnered with the Kapor Foundation in Oakland to hold an in-person information session at their offices in Downtown Oakland. This is a great opportunity for those in the East Bay who want to learn how they can get into tech careers without the need to go to a 4-year university and have their questions answered by NPower Team members. If you know someone between 18-28 years old, or is Military connected (Veterans, Active Duty, Reservist, Guardsman, and Spouses of any age) who are looking for that opportunity to break into the tech industry, please share our link to register for the event here: bit.ly/3yQsMgy.
Resumption of Student Loan Repayments
From VA Education Services:
Dear GI Bill® Student,
In case you missed it, the Department of Education has announced that payments on federal student loans, which had been paused since the COVID-19 emergency, will resume in October 2023. Interest on those student loans will resume beginning September 1, 2023. If you have no federal student loans, this will not apply to you.
The Department of Education is also notifying borrowers before their payments restart, but we wanted to make sure you had plenty of time to prepare. If you have questions about how the restart will work, what steps you need to take to resume your payments or change account information, or how to switch to a different repayment plan, you can find answers on their website. VA cannot answer questions about your student loans.
Help furnish Veteran Homes
Veterans across the Bay Area need your help to furnish their homes. John Helin provides furniture, silverware, and cookware to veterans who have recently been placed in housing through HUD-VASH. John can't do it alone! Help John help veterans furnish their homes! He is accepting any help but would love to have someone who has a vehicle who can move large furniture.
If interested, please email: aayag@smcgov.org