By Greg Archer | Contributing Columnist
A new study released by Inland Empire Community Foundation reveals the challenges Inland Empire veterans face. The “IE State of Veterans Report” study was commissioned by the Friends of Veterans Fund at IECF and sheds light on what veterans in the Inland Empire face when seeking programs, resources, and organizations, and the call for a more inclusive and responsive system to their evolving needs.
It also indicates the lack of awareness and access among the area’s veterans community is double that of Los Angeles County.
“We wanted to create a report that would help and not sit on some shelves and collect dust,” said Brie Griset Smith, IECF’s senior vice president of charitable giving. “We wanted it to move this idea of putting veterans at the center forward. With the help of different community stakeholders, we held focus groups, did individual interviews, and really wrapped our arms around kind of the core components of this.”
While many benefits and services are available to veterans and their families, finding them in the Inland Empire can be taxing if not intimidating. The report illuminates the need for community proactiveness.
The months-long study involved extensive research, surveys, and interviews with veterans, service providers, and stakeholders across the Inland Empire. The findings reveal insights into the current state of veteran support services, identifying gaps, successes, and areas for improvement, and propose solutions toward enhancing the lives of veterans in the IE.
Several highlights of the study are key to understanding how to take action.
The veteran population percentage in Riverside and San Bernardino counties combined is nearly double that of Los Angeles County, and the number of women veterans has increased significantly.
The Inland Empire is home to a diverse population of veterans, who have unique needs and challenges. The study shows that veterans in the region are less aware of how to access the benefits and services they have earned.
Because of compassion fatigue, staff turnover is a key issue with veterans-focused work in the region, the report shows.
“This report comes at a crucial juncture in our ongoing efforts to care for our Veterans,” said Rep. Mark Takano (D-Riverside). “With countless heroes returning from deployments around the world and making the Inland Empire their home, we must remain vigilant in addressing their needs.”
“In partnership with our neighboring cities in the Inland Empire, we recognize the importance of a united effort in addressing the challenges our Veterans face and enhancing the benefits and services available to them,” Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said.
With proactiveness in mind, several key recommendations emerged from the study, and which align with best-practices in neighboring counties.
• Awareness – Veteran awareness of where and how to access the benefits and services they earned. Community awareness of challenges and opportunities of our veterans and their families.
• Access – Providing wrap-around services through a public-private partnership, relying on a “no wrong door” policy for benefits and services.
• Engagement – Create a movement of community support to embrace veterans so they have a better sense of belonging.
The three areas are the basis for a community-based network of veterans-serving organizations that relies on the power of peer-support, similar to Los Angeles Counties Veteran Peer Access Network.
“This is a really exciting way to put the veterans at the center of the solution,” Griset Smith said “It’s literally, peers who are further along in their civilian life, supporting another veterans as they are looking to identify benefits, different community services, and programs.”
The legacy of The Friends of Veterans Fund factors into the mix.
Established by IECF in 2022, the goal was clear: To benefit veterans in Riverside and San Bernardino counties whose needs include legal aid services, post-military education and skills-building, housing, basic needs, and physical and mental health, among others.
To ensure efficient use of the funds, IECF’s commissioned study developed a better understanding of the environment as it relates to veterans programs and services, and the need for continued care.
Michelle Decker, CEO of IECF, said the report is a resource for organizations, policymakers, and individuals dedicated to the well-being of our veterans, noting, “Our goal here is to ensure veterans and their families are thriving in the IE and that they receive the recognition, support, and care they earned through their service.”
The release of the study marks the beginning of a concerted effort by IECF and its partners to address the gaps identified and implement positive change for veterans in the Inland Empire. Looking ahead, IECF will be hosting a series of community forums and workshops to discuss the findings and collaborate on solutions.
View the full report at https://www.iegives.org/funds/fov/
For donors and businesses interested in supporting the Friends of Veterans Fund, contact Griset Smith at bgrisetsmith@iegives.org.
Inland Empire Community Foundation works to strengthen Inland Southern California through philanthropy.
