Each September, HVAF hosts the equivalent of our Christmas called Stand Down. This one-day event is thoughtfully planned with community partners to offer resources, and more importantly, hope, to struggling veterans in our community. Our team prepares each year, working out every detail to ensure any veteran needing assistance in our community can receive it.

We hosted this year’s event, our 20^th, on September 4 at the National Guard’s 38^th Division Armory on the near-west side. For the last several years, we’ve utilized the Armory’s drill floor and adjacent classrooms. We’re deeply grateful for this partnership (more on this later!).

Just like Christmas, the atmosphere at Stand Down is full of excitement.

A Mother Teresa quote best sums up the atmosphere: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

HVAF staff, vendors, and volunteers are all at Stand Down to serve in small and meaningful ways. And, while individual acts of kindness, like sharing food with a veteran or offering a helping hand, may not seem like much—lives were changed at Stand Down.

A soldier I know who works at the Armory shared with me they heard a veteran was hoping to wash up using the bathroom sink. When the soldiers heard this, they offered use of the shower facilities. A small thing with great love.

We had a record number of registered vendors before this year’s event—over 65! Vendors offered a variety of resources to veterans, including food, clothing, hygiene items, healthcare, benefits assistance, and more. We also had barbers from A+ Barbers on site, as well as 2 food vendors, the Salvation Army and Thy Kingdom Crumb!

Each can of spam. Sweatshirt. Haircut. Offer of assistance. Small things with great love.

In a new component this year, we collaborated with the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer same day housing to unsheltered veterans in attendance. In total, 8 veterans who spent the previous night on our streets ended the day in a safe bed. I watched in amazement as our team, led by Danny Park and Lauren Mardis, worked tirelessly to find housing for every veteran who needed it.

In total, 164 veterans received assistance at this year’s Stand Down. Thanks to our partners, volunteers, and HVAF staff, 164 veterans were touched by small things with great love.

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