The following contribution to the Mid-Hudson News Veterans Corner is authored by MHA Dutchess Vet2Vet Executive Program Director Alyssa Carrion, a graduate of the USMA at West Point:
MID-HUDSON – Have you heard of Vet2Vet? Its full name is the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Vet2Vet Peer Mentorship Program and it is a state-funded grant that is available, or in the works, in all 62 Counties of New York State. PFC Dwyer was an Army medic, who struggled with PTSD after deployment. PFC Dwyer tragically passed away in 2008 after a long battle with PTSD. In 2012, the Joseph P. Dwyer Vet2Vet Peer Mentorship Program was started and spread to neighboring counties with the support of local politicians. Dwyer came to Dutchess County in 2016 and has been a program of Mental Health America of Dutchess County since. Vet2Vet is a program run by peers, for peers, meaning when you walk into our office, you will get to talk to another veteran, who is there to listen and to help. This year, for the first time, our budget was increased, but only by four percent.
What does that mean? It means that we are providing the same quality day-to-day services to the Veterans of Dutchess County. It means that we will continue to do whatever we can to support our fellow veterans. But it also means that we need community support. We need volunteers to help at events, and to help organize the pantry and the clothing closet. We need garden supplies to help provide fresh vegetables to our veterans during the growing season. And we need donations to keep providing the robust, year-round programming that our Veterans depend on.
Don’t live in Dutchess? That’s the awesome thing about Dwyer – it’s all over New York State! In Ulster, you can reach out to the Veteran Hudson Valley National Center For Veteran Reintegration Kingston (hvncvr.org), run by the amazing Gavin Walters, who chairs our statewide Dwyer coalition. Orange County can be reached through the MHA of Orange at Vet2Vet: Get Help: Mental Health Association in
Orange County Inc. (mhaorangeny.com). Anywhere else, you can reach out to me (Alyssa) at 845-473-2500 x1306 and I will get you the contact information for your county.
Vet2Vet saves lives! Help us succeed with this mission.
