VetZero

About VetZero

VetZero is the veteran service project of VFW Post 170 in Poughkeepsie, New York. Our mission is to raise awareness on important issues affecting veterans. Our goal? It’s simply ZERO: Zero veteran su***des, Zero veteran homelessness, and Zero tolerance for disrespect of veterans in our community. We won’t stop until we get there!

In 2019, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 170 is celebrating its 100th Anniversary of helping veterans in Poughkeepsie. We want to prepare for the next hundred years by creating VetZero. Working with community partners like the Vet 2 Vet Dutchess program and Hudson River Housing, Vet Zero is the service arm of the 176 combat veterans and their families that call VFW Post 170 home.

A 2015 Veterans Administration (VA) study found that the su***de rate for our veterans and military in America is more than double the su***de rate for civilians; shockingly, that translates to roughly 22 veteran su***des every day. Furthermore, the number of homeless veterans is currently on the rise; every night, an average of over 40,000 of veterans are living on the streets. Imagine Yankee Stadium filled 365 days a year with our returning heroes, and you start to understand the problem.

Our veterans deserve better. That’s why we, the veterans of VFW post 170, drew a line in the sand and created Vet Zero, to raise awareness on these important issues and to support local programs that can bring these shocking statistics down to ZERO. Together, we can reach our goal and keep our promise to all the veterans returning home.

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