BEACON – Veterans, first responders, community leaders, and others gathered in Beacon to announce that Guardian Revival has established an office for their programs at the Main Street building that houses a VFW Post and an American Legion Post.
Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou noted that the building at 413 Main Street is owned by the city and is supposed to be used for programming that benefits the community when he welcomed Guardian Revival to their new space.
Guardian Revival Executive Director Alex Othmer said his organization is a New York State 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered to provide opportunities, resources, and support at no cost to our active and veteran ‘Guardians’ so that they can revive, protect, and preserve their mental health & wellbeing. They also provide services to first responders.
With specifically designed programming, Guardian Revival offers services designed to help veterans and first responders improve their mental well-being. They provide programming that includes nature hikes, therapy and service dogs, music, horsemanship, and others to combat the suicide rate among veterans, which is approximately 20 per day across the nation.
Former Congressman and current Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado spoke at the event to congratulate Guardian Revival, which also runs the Putnam County Vet2Vet program, on the creation of a new access point in Beacon for those in need of services.
“Mental health was a challenge before COVID,” Delgado said, noting that the pandemic placed additional burdens on those in need of interactions to sustain their mental health. “COVID exacerbated – it compounded the isolation, the inability to socially interact, to do the things that help heal,” adding that “It was not easy.”
Delgado cited the work of Governor Hochul who authorized a series of laws aimed at helping veterans and their families and pointed out that Guardian Revival has put in place a “very comprehensive plan” to help veterans and first responders by bringing their location to Beacon.
