Bull City Stand Down event helps homeless, at-risk veterans get back on their feet

DURHAM (WTVD) -- Durham veterans are getting the help they need to get back on their feet thanks to the city's Stand Down for Homeless and At-risk Veterans event.

On Friday, inside Durham's National Guard Armory, veterans were able to get connected to health screenings, counseling, and job opportunities.

"It means so much," said Ryan Stephenson, an Iraq War veteran who was looking forward receiving help.

After serving four years in the military, he became homeless.

Now, he is working towards finding permanent housing through the Durham VA and resources through Bull City Stand Down for veterans.

"We need the tools to carry on and go about our everyday lives and be successful like we were at one point," said Stephenson.

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Stephenson represents what many veterans are looking for - access and resources.

The one-day event was organized by Indigo Consortium, a nonprofit that primarily focuses on women veterans.

Friday's service included health screenings, mental health, and substance abuse counseling, food, housing information, job leads, haircuts, dental services, and even assistance from the DMV.

Essential needs that these veterans said are often overlooked and forgotten.

"That's why we're here today," said Vietnam War veteran, Jim Dalton. "There's too many of them that haven't been in the system and they should have been."

"They are among us," said Secretary of Military and Veterans Affairs, Larry Hall. "They are family members. They are community members, and we all have to support each other."

Hall drove this message home during his keynote address, in which he stated that North Carolina has about one million veterans.