The Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) Program is currently the largest centralized volunteer program in the federal government.  The success of the VAVS program is due to the enthusiastic efforts on the part of many organizations such as The American Legion, and especially through the efforts of individuals displaying determination and dedication to help veterans using VA services.

 

Volunteers assist veteran patients by augmenting staff in such diverse settings as VA medical centers, nursing homes, hospice programs, foster care, community based volunteer programs and veterans outreach centers. 

 

Today, through the expanded volunteer services that follow the veteran back into the community, every American Legion Post can participate and make a valuable contribution to this humanitarian service.  For example, as outpatient clinics have been established to bring services closer to veterans, and home services have been developed to allow veterans to be monitored or treated at home, volunteers are needed to support these efforts.  By design, these outpatient clinics and home-based programs are geographically dispersed, encompassing areas well beyond the traditional campuses of the VA medical centers.  Similarly, as veterans gain access to health care information and their health care records via computers, volunteers are needed to teach veterans the requisite computer skills.

Volunteers bring companionship, renewed hope, and comfort to veteran patients, serve as a bond to the outside world, and help disabled veterans learn new vocations to overcome their disabilities.

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For information concerning individuals or Post participation, contact the VAVS program Manager at your nearest VA medical center, your local VAVS Representative or Department Service Officer, or write to:

The American Legion,
National Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission,
1608 K Street N.W.
Washington D.C. 20006

Information is also available on the internet at www.va.gov/volunteer  

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