Capital Area Veterans Stand Down to help vets in need Friday

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The 13th annual Capital Area Veterans Stand Down is set for Friday at 1420 S. Wilmington St. in Raleigh at the South Wilmington Street Center.

The event is to honor and support Wake County veterans and offers many services and resources on site.

"We want to make sure they can access those resources they desperately need and also become familiar to what's available to them because we're sure we still have veterans that may not be aware of all the benefits they have in the community, so we want to help with that," explained Frank Lawrence, shelter manager at the S. Wilmington Street Center.

The Stand Down will offer services such as haircuts, mobile dental services, legal education, mental health and substance abuse counsel as well as spiritual guidance, employment help, and housing assistance.

"The veterans stand down symbolically represents a concept that was developed in the Vietnam era," Lawrence said. "Those fighting on the front lines would be allowed to come back to what we call the rear to get some rest, relaxation, health care, clean up, and just recoup so they could go back out and continue to fight. So, I think the stand-down is symbolic to represent our homeless vets who continue to battle those same issues that cause their homelessness on the streets and we want to bring those resources to help them overcome those barriers."

The Stand Down will run from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the South Wilmington Street Center on Friday.