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The Vermont Veterans Outreach Program staff have very diverse backgrounds and many of them have served in the different branches of the military. Their commonality is that they know what our veterans are facing every day. The Vermont Veterans Outreach Program has a proven track record in getting the job done helping our veterans receive the services they need and have earned for their service to our country.

Vermont Veterans 
Outreach Team
Team Lead: Andre Wing
Contractor
Office: (802)-338-3022

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NEWS | June 21, 2022

Info for the Fall Months

 

I am Rick Daigle and I work as an outreach specialist in Addison County, as well as parts of northern Rutland County.

  • As Vermont continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and learns to coexist with the ever changing “new norm”, our veterans sometimes need guidance in navigating this new landscape. Whether it is sitting down with a veteran at their kitchen table, to help facilitate a VA Primary Care Provider video call from their tablet, or helping a Vietnam Veteran manage their yard work responsibilities, Vermont Veterans Outreach is always ready for the challenge

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  • We have many new Vermont Veterans to work with, as a result of VTARNG’s deployments in 2021-2022. Many of our eligible VT soldiers have signed up for, or have begun the process of, registering for the Burn Pit. Additionally, many more soldiers are now enrolled in VA Healthcare. The number of VA Healthcare enrollments and the assistance with Burn Pit registrations, are the direct result of the Vermont Veterans Outreach Team efforts, that met our returning soldiers at DEMOB in Fort Bliss, in the early part of 2022. Now that’s customer service!

 

  • Transportation is, and continues to be, our number one barrier in providing services to our Vermont Veterans. The VA has it’s own transportation system, but it is cumbersome for some our aging veterans to utilize. Some veterans do not have the benefit of family, to provide rides to and from doctors appointments or to the grocery store
     
  • Vermont Veterans Outreach has teamed up with Tri-Valley Transit, State of Vermont Agency of Transportation, as well as Vermont Technical College, in an effort to provide another source of transportation to our Vermont Veterans. Vermont State Colleges provide students with the option of participating in “Work Study”. The eligible students would then be able to choose the job they would like for the semester or the whole year. One of the Work Study job options would be to provide veterans with a ride to the grocery store, drug store etc. These young student “volunteers” will not fly to Florida in the winter time, leaving a huge gap in drivers. These young students, are here for most of the year, and every year new students arrive, making the idea sustainable. A transportation test pilot program is scheduled to run this fall. Hopefully, it will be a success and veterans can receive the transportation they need and have earned. 
  • Finally, fall is a time for Vermonters to gather their harvest and appreciate what they have. Always consider donating extra harvest to our local food shelves as I can assure you, the 

    donations will be put to good use. Also, it is a good time to button up your homes for the upcoming winter. Follow this link from Efficiency Vermont to learn more about the MANY rebates they offer.

    https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/rebates/list/home-performance-with-energy-star

     

    Rick Daigle
    Vermont Veterans Outreach
    Addison County and Northern Rutland Countties. I hope all of you are able to enjoy some time in the sun and relax this season.