Each month, San Luis Obispo County’s Veterans Services Office (VSO) holds pop-up resource fairs to connect veterans with resources regarding housing, health care, food and clothing.
Office coordinator for SLO County VSO, Kendra Scott, is a veteran herself and knows reaching out for help can be challenging.
“When I got out of the military in 2015, I didn't know what to do," Scott said. "So I'm just hoping to help people like myself that didn't know what was available to them at all."
The next resource fair will take place Saturday, April 6 on the Veterans Memorial Lawn in front of the Faces of Freedom Memorial in Atascadero from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can find information about VSO's upcoming resource fairs here.
Brett Pelch serves as an administrative assistant for the VSO and echoed the need for resources among veterans like him.
“When I first got out of the military, we didn't have all these resources," Pelch said. "Nobody knew about VA benefits, where to look, where to go, or what to do for help."
Scott says many of the veterans who need help in northern SLO County are younger.
“I feel like there's a lot of younger veterans in North County that aren't being reached," Scott said. "So that's why I'm hoping to have this resource fair be a success."
Pelch thinks the reason younger vets might have a greater need in northern SLO County is due to the challenges they faced during their time of service.
“With the younger vets, there’s a lot of mental health issues," Pelch said. "A lot of them have been in combat and are dealing with PTSD. So I think that’s important to get that help at these resource fairs."
Ultimately, the VSO’s goal is to connect every veteran in the county with the resources they need.
“I’m very passionate about veterans. I want to help every single one," Scott said. "And even if you tell me 'No' the first time, I'm not going to give up."
