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30th Operation Stand Down Veteran Assistance Weekend in Johnston
Operation Stand Down Weekend is being held September 17th & 18th – Operation Stand Down Rhode Island (OSDRI) is set to kick off its 30th annual outreach weekend on September 17th at 8 a.m. Stand Down Weekend will be held at OSDRI’s Veteran Service Center located at 1010 Hartford Avenue in Johnston.
Services will be available from 8:00 – 4:30 both days. Dinner will be served on Saturday only beginning at 5 PM until 6:30 PM.
“Since its inception in 1993, the annual event has provided thousands of veterans with access to important services including health, dental, and substance abuse care, as well as employment, legal, and housing services. After holding a scaled back Stand Down Weekend during the pandemic last year, OSDRI expects a full roster of service providers this September. ” said Erik Wallin, Esq. Executive Director of Operation Stand Down RI.
The event will be held at OSDRI’s Veteran Service Center, located at 1010 Hartford Avenue in Johnston. Veterans may access the location via RIPTA bus Route 28 which operates out of Kennedy Plaza and stops at the corner of Hartford and Bordon Avenue. Those arriving via their own vehicle must park and take a shuttle from Johnston War Memorial Park, 1583 Hartford Avenue, Johnston.
Although no overnight lodging is available, lunch will be provided on both Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th from 12:00 – 1:30. A dinner will be provided for veterans on Saturday from 5:00 until 6:30.
Veterans seeking to appear before the Rhode Island District Court or Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal should attend on Friday to speak with attorneys and again on Saturday morning to appear before the courts.
The event will follow whatever the then current guidance is as it relates to Covid-19 precautions.
Here is a list of providers currently confirmed coming to Stand Down Weekend:
*Please note this isn’t an exhaustive list, it is still being updated daily.
| AGENCY / ORGANIZATION | SERVICE PROVIDED | FRIDAY SEP 17 HOURS | SATURDAY SEP 18 HOURS |
| VETERAN SPECIFIC SERVICES | |||
| OSDRI VA Discharge Upgrades | Discharge Upgrades | 0800-1630 | |
| OSDRI VA Disability Claims Assistance | VA Disability Claims & Appeals | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| VA Regional Office Providence | Veteran Services | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| Rhode Island Office of Veteran Affairs | RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery, RIServes Coordinated Care Network , & Misc. | 0800-1600 | 0800-1600 |
| HOUSING | |||
| OSDRI Housing and SSVF Services | Housing Assistance, Rental Assistance | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| RI Housing | |||
| HEALTHCARE SERVICES | |||
| Providence VA Medical Center (Medical Services) | Flu Shots, COVID Vaccine Shots & Pneumonia, Hep Vaccine, General Wellness & VA Healthcare | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| Thundermist Dental | Onsite Screening & General Dental Care | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| Million Veteran Program | Veteran Wellness Survey | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| My Healthy Vet | Healthcare Resources | 0800-1630 | |
| Providence Community Health Centers | Healthcare Resources | 11:30-4:30 | |
| BH Link | Healthcare Resources & Program Awareness | 0830-1330 | 0830-1330 |
| Vet Center | Mental Health, Outpatient Clinical Services, Activity Groups, Resource Referrals | 0800-1600 | 0800-1600 |
| Tri-County Community Action Agency | Healthcare Resources & Program Awareness | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| Center for Southeast Asians | SNAP, Affordable Care Act, Free Tax Prep, Rent Relief, COVID testing | 0900-1600 | 0900-1600 |
| SOCIAL, FINANCIAL & GENERAL SUPPORT SERVICES | |||
| Office of the RI General Treasurer | Unclaimed Property Information | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| National Grid | Utility Assistance Information/Payment Plans & Discount Rates | 0900-1600 | |
| Office of Child Support Services | Assistance Navigating Child Support System | 0800-1600 | 0800-1600 |
| Internal Revenue Service | Tax Information, Assistance & Filing | 0830-1630 | 0830-1630 |
| Citizens Bank | Financial & Credit Counseling | 0800-1600 | 0800-1600 |
| RI Division of Elderly Affairs | Resources for Aging Veterans & Families | 1200-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| Westbay Community Action | Heating Assistance, Fraud Protection, Medicare Information & Referrals | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| RISE Real Estate Consultants | Real Estate Information | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| BayCoast Bank | Financial Services: Banking, VA Loans, Credit Counseling, & Refinancing Information | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| EMPLOYMENT & EDUCATION | |||
| Amazon | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 | |
| Ashland/ISP Freetown Fine Chemicals | 0900-1600 | 0900-1200 | |
| Buckhead Meat of New England | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 | |
| Cardi’s Furniture | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 | |
| Electric Boat | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 | |
| Employment Resource Center (VA) | 0800-1630 | ||
| Home Depot | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 | |
| IGT | 0800-1200 | ||
| Liberty Floor Covering | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 | |
| Lifespan | 0800-1630 | ||
| Panera Bread | 0900-1500 | 0900-1600 | |
| Toray Plastics | 0800-1200 | ||
| Twin River Casino | 0900-1600 | ||
| PCVI | 0830-1630 | 0830-1630 | |
| Voc. Rehab | |||
| LEGAL ASSISTANCE | |||
| OSDRI Legal Assistance for Warriors Program | Legal Assistance | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| Rhode Island Legal Services | Legal Assistance & Tax Preparation, Credits, and Stimulus Payment Information | 0900-1630 | 0900-1630 |
| RI Office of the Public Defender | Legal Assistance | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| Roger Williams University School of Law | Legal Assistance | 12noon-4:30 | 0800-1:00 |
| The Law Office of Brett V. Beaubien, LLC | Family Law | 0900-12Noon | |
| COURT HEARINGS AND DMV | |||
| RI Division of Motor Vehicles Services | License matters , veteran state ID’s | 0830-1600 | 0800-1630 |
| Rhode Island Judiciary (District Court) | Address bench warrants, motions to expungement, Misdemeanor Matters | 0900-1230 | |
| Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal | Traffic Court | 0900-1230 | |
| Office of the Rhode Island Attorney General | Expungement Matters | 0800-1230 | |
| BASIC HUMAN NEEDS / COMFORT & SUPPORT | |||
| Haircuts | Free Haircuts | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| The American Red Cross | Comfort Station | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| Amenity Aid | Free Toiletries | 0800-1600 | 0800-1600 |
| East Providence Elks Lodge | Free Socks, T-shirts, Underwear | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
| Hope | Comfort Dogs | 0800-1600 | 0800-1600 |
| Military Surplus | 0800-1630 | 0800-1630 |
Details are being updated frequently – go here to see more info: https://osdri.org/stand-down-weekend/
We Say Thanks!
On August 4th, Falvey Insurance Group hosted “Fore the Vets” – a charity golf tournament supporting Operation Stand Down Rhode Island. The tournament was held at Newport National Golf Club followed by a happy hour with raffle drawings and the announcement of winners.
With the support of our 144 golfers and generous sponsors and donors, Fore the Vets raised over $23,000 for local Rhode Island veterans.
There were a number of local sponsors who stepped up to support us(see attachment.) OSDRI is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and Rhode Island’s primary nonprofit resource for veterans. Their mission is to strengthen the veteran community by providing crucial wrap-around services.
See photos from the tournament: https://bit.ly/3jbsGWC
About Operation Stand Down RI:
Operation Stand Down Rhode Island (OSDRI) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and Rhode Island’s primary nonprofit resource for homeless and at-risk veterans. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Johnston, OSDRI’s mission is to strengthen the veteran community by providing crucial wrap-around services.
Ending the cycle of veteran homelessness, and preventing it, requires much more than providing a roof over the head of an individual veteran or veteran family. To achieve this goal, OSDRI offers a wide range of life-changing services including supportive permanent and transitional housing, intensive case management, basic human needs assistance (for example, food and clothing) and an employment training and placement program.
OSDRI works hand in hand with almost every major state and federal agency as well as community organizations and employers to provide seamless referrals to outside sources of assistance.