Veterans Coalition

Mission

To marshal all necessary resources to all service members, veterans and their families to ensure their success, with a target on  homeless veterans, veterans at risk of homelessness and veterans reintegrating into the community.   

History

In late December 2009, Palm Beach County Commissioner Jeff Koons requested  that a Task Force of concerned citizens  and agencies be developed.  The initial order of business was  to identify  current veterans programs, the gaps in services and needs of veterans including housing, employment, health, and training. The Task Force also initiated a review of the resources available to the veterans and their families such as the VA, HUD, private funders, non-profits and any groups or agencies already assisting this population.

The first meeting was held on February 16, 2010 at the Community Services Building at 810 Datura Street, WPB with Commissioner Koons opening the first meeting.  It became apparent to the Task Force Partners that the very nature of a Task Force was to resolve issues and then dissolve. The Task Force Partners recognized immediately that the issues are vast and ongoing and thus the renamed Palm Beach County Veterans Coalition (PBCVC) was renamed.

Since inception, the PBCVC partnerss defined and finalized a Mission Statement after careful consideration of our purpose.  In June 2010, the PBCVC held a Workshop with PBC Board of County Commissioners’ briefing the board on services provided  by  partners  and the gaps remaining in the community.  The board also commented about concerns they had regarding health issues, unemployment and housing of returning veterans to the community.

In July and September 2010, the PBCVC was invited to participate in the Florida BrAIve Coalition meetings, blending participants and forming partnerships. The PBCVC meeting held on November 9, 2010 helped continue to move the process of narrowing the gaps in services with the focus on developing a PBCVC web page with links to partners and calendar of events in the community.

*Note:  Meetings are now held on a bi-monthly basis with the focus centering on continued partnership building, education and networking.  

 Be Aware of Pension Poaching Scams: Don't Be A Victim Flyer

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​DCF Information on Disaster SNAP (Food for Florida) as of September 14, 2017

DCF is working with federal officials as emergency assessments are completed for Disaster SNAP (also known as Food for Florida). DCF proactively submitted an initial request to the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to activate Disaster SNAP in counties approved for FEMA for Individual Assistance. While Disaster SNAP is not currently active in Florida, DCF is communicating with the federal government to activate this program in eligible counties as soon as possible.

 Disaster SNAP is activated after a declared emergency and approved by FNS. Activation requests are filed by the state and are based on the percentage of power outages in a county over 72 hours, also including structural damage flooding damage, and retailer capability.

 The ACCESS Florida webpage will be updated as soon as more information becomes available. For general information about Food for Florida operations, visit  www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/access/fff/.

 The most up-to-date and accurate information on SNAP benefits and changes will be posted on the ACCESS Florida webpage. There is misinformation currently circulating on social media that indicates that Disaster SNAP is available to any individual who lost power for more than two hours – this is FALSE. Additional scams and rumors may arise. Check the ACCESS Florida webpage for accurate information. 

Additional DCF Actions Regarding SNAP Benefits for Current Recipients

• DCF sent a mass replacement request to FNS to provide a portion of SNAP benefit replacements to customers who lost food as a result of Hurricane Irma. Customers may submit forms for individual replacement of benefits and the requests will be reviewed as soon as possible.
• DCF requested and was granted a waiver for current SNAP customers to have the option to purchase hot foods with their EBT card at participating Florida retailers through September 30. Customers should inquire first with the store to see if they are equipped to process hot food purchases.
• DCF is awaiting formal approval from FNS to help customers who need to recertify/renew benefits in September receive an extension into October. More information will be provided on the ACCESS Florida webpage when available.

September SNAP benefits were released early to customers (who had not already received for September) statewide on September 7 to assist customers with preparation for Hurricane Irma's landfall​

Meeting Schedule

PBCVC meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every other month at 9:00 AM in the basement conference room at the Palm Beach County Community Services building, 810 Datura Street, West Palm Beach, FL.