A new nonprofit organization seeks to connect veterans with resources to find transportation, jobs, and support groups in Hillsdale County.
Hillsdale County Veterans Coalition’s mission is to “embrace, empower, and enrich the lives of military veterans within our community,” according to Melinda Eggleston, program director of the Hillsdale County Community Foundation.
Eggleston said the organization hopes to “connect Hillsdale County service members, veterans, and their families with resources to enhance overall wellness and enrich their lives.”
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, the Hillsdale County District Court, and American Legion Post 53 formed the group in August 2021 to achieve these goals, Eggleston said.
Eggleston said the Hillsdale County Veterans Coalition has six subgroups that have begun working on action plans in the areas of transportation, justice, helping service members transition to normal life, resiliency, women veterans, and outreach.
Corey Murray, the Legion’s finance officer and coalition chairman, expanded on each of these subgroups. He said that members in the transportation workgroup actively work to bring better transportation options to rural veterans, while the transitioning service member workforce is creating a new program to help veterans better reintegrate themselves back into society following discharge, according to Murray.
Murray said the resiliency workgroup focuses on veteran suicide prevention, behavioral health, and the overall wellbeing of local veterans. Members of the women veterans workgroup help cultivate camaraderie, and the outreach workgroup is in charge of planning and advertising resource fairs for veterans.
Murray said there is room for expansion as leaders look to establish a spouses and family subgroup to help loved ones of veterans understand Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and how to help during difficult times. The organization hopes to reach more local veterans by creating these different subgroups.
Murray explained specific achievements of the Veterans Coalition. The group recently secured a $30,000 grant to assist 2B District Court in “expanding their veterans track probation program.”
Alongside American Legion Post 53, the coalition provides military honors at veterans’ funerals through its Honor Guard, Murray said.
“We pay final respects to a fellow brother or sister by presenting this nation’s colors, rendering a 21-gun salute and playing taps,” Murray said.
The Hillsdale County Veterans Coalition looks forward to possibilities for the future, according to Murray.
“Really, the possibilities are endless as to what we can do if we work together. To see the efforts going into this coalition by a variety of community partners, leaders, veterans– it’s just truly incredible,” Murray said.
