VA Central California Health Care System
VA Summer of Service Hopes to Bolster Volunteerism
VA Begins Summer of Service to Bolster Volunteer Assistance for Veterans
Background
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a sacred commitment to care for those “who have borne the battle” and their families. This year, VA has made progress on the many challenges we face in delivering care and benefits to Veterans and their families:
- Nationally, VA completed more than 46.8 million appointments between June 1, 2014, and March 31, 2015.
- In March 2015, VA completed 97 percent of appointments within 30 days of the Veteran’s preferred date.
- The claims backlog has been reduced from peak of 611,000 in March 2013 to 155,000 as of May 15, 2015. This represents a 74 percent reduction in 24 months.
- VA, together with federal, state, and local partners, reduced the estimated number of homeless Veterans by 33 percent as noted in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 2014 Point-in-Time (PIT) Estimate of Homelessness.
- In FY 2014 alone, VA provided services to more than 260,000 homeless or at-risk Veterans in VHA’s homeless programs.
- VA is working to reorganize the department for success, guided by ideas and initiatives from Veterans, employees, and all of our stakeholders. This reorganization is a part of the MyVA initiative and is designed to provide Veterans with a seamless, integrated and responsive customer service experience.
VA Summer of Service Key Facts
VA recognizes there is more work to do to serve Veterans. This summer, VA is renewing our commitment to America’s Veterans, and we’re asking for our partners’ help in honoring that commitment.
It is clear to VA that we cannot fulfill this commitment without help from
- Partners in our community, such as VA volunteers, community members who volunteer at organizations serving Veteran needs, and Veteran Caregivers.
- Partners within our own organization—VA employees going above and beyond in their service to Veterans, working overtime, and volunteering in their communities.
- Public and private sector partners such as non-profits, Veterans Service Organizations, Governors and Mayors, other government agencies, small businesses, and corporations.
- Our partners in Congress, with whom we are committed to working closely to fully resource programs for Veterans.
VA takes its commitment to care for the Nation’s Veterans and their families very seriously, and this summer we invite all of you to join in that commitment. Community by community, state by state, our Nation can work together to serve Veterans during the VA Summer of Service.
