COUNCIL CONTRIBUTIONS IMPACT QUALITY OF LIFE

The Veterans Homes of California are first and foremost a place where veterans can live.

CAL-MOAA makes an annual donation of $500 to the homes. It doesn’t seem like a lot of money, and it really isn’t; however, the funds are generally spent on sundries and other personal items which make life a little easier and bring some measure of joy to the residents.

At the recent EXCOM meeting at Vandenberg Air Force Base it was pointed out that new Veterans Homes are in the planning stages and the day will come when the Council might need to increase the donation amount.

A significant portion of the mission of the California Department of Veterans Affairs is “to provide the state’s aged or disabled veterans with rehabilitative, residential, and medical care and services in a home-like environment at the California Veterans Homes.”

What is a veteran’s home? This is a question that is often asked by those who have little, or no experience with the Veterans Homes of California. The answer is both simple and complex. The simple answer is a facility where veterans can find a therapeutic community dedicated to providing the required support to allow and encourage members to live quality lives at the highest levels possible. From this simple descriptive base, the operative description becomes much more complex. The complexities can be noted at this website: http://www.cdva.ca.gov/homes/whatisa.asp

Currently there are three such homes:

–Yountville
Located in the heart of scenic Napa Valley, the Veterans Home of California-Yountville is a community of and for veterans. Some 1,200 veterans, both men and women, live at the home. Founded in 1884, VHC-Yountville is the largest veterans home in the United States.

–Chula Vista
Located on a 30-acre site off Telegraph Canyon Road, adjacent to Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, the Veterans Home of California, Chula Vista, is the only veterans home located in coastal, urban Southern California. With views of the Pacific Ocean and downtown San Diego, VHC-Chula Vista’s location provides residents with numerous cultural and recreational opportunities.

–Barstow
The Veterans Home of California, Barstow, is located in the high desert of Southern California, off Interstate 15, midway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas and only an hour drive from the Ontario Airport. Opened in February 1996, VHC-Barstow has the capability to care for 280 California veterans at both independent living and intermediate care levels.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is acquiring land, planning, and designing five new veterans homes. As plans are completed and federal funds become available, construction will begin. The new homes will be located at: West Los Angeles ; Lancaster, Los Angeles County; Saticoy, Ventura County; Fresno; and Redding, Shasta County.

Additional information about the Veterans Homes of California can be viewed at this website: http://www.cdva.ca.gov/homes/default.asp

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