WKSU Stories

Summit County Leaders Step Up to Help the County's Stand Down for Veterans

Ideastream Public Media | By Mitch Felan

Published August 23, 2016 at 8:52 PM EDT

Summit County Veterans Services usually receives items for its annual Stand Down from the Department of Defense. But due to a warehouse fire, they now need community help

Summit County leaders are donating $20,000 to a group that supports homeless and poor veterans.

Stand Down for Veterans has been looking for donations after a warehouse fire in New Jersey destroyed most of their supplies in February.

County Executive Ilene Shapiro and FirstEnergy Foundation President Dee Lowery presented the donations today at the Summit County Veterans Service Commission.

Shapiro used the announcement to promote “Step Up for Stand Down” to challenge local businesses to contribute as well.

“In many cases, they have great numbers of people that work for them who are veterans. I know FirstEnergy, they have significant amount of employees just here in Summit County and Ohio that are veterans, and these people want to give back to those other folks who are perhaps less fortunate.”

A GoFundMe page has been started. Donations of clothes, blankets and sleeping bags can also be dropped off at the Summit County Veterans Council.

The Stand Down for Veterans takes place on Sept. 13th.