National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships
OCE Partnership Impact
VA Voluntary Service brings resources directly to health care heroes
While the coronavirus has brought on unique challenges, many Americans are working together to care for their communities in extraordinary ways. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) recently announced how VA’s Voluntary Service (VAVS) helped bring more resources to Veterans and VA staff by way of a donation from John Deere.
The manufacturing company donated 134,600 face shields to 49 VA medical centers at no cost through their Operation: Hero Support program. The face shields are now being used to keep Veterans and VA staff safe during in-person appointments.
To make this gift a reality, VAVS, one of the largest centralized volunteer programs in the federal government, worked with John Deere to identify VA facilities in need of additional personal protective equipment.
In April, the Veterans Health Administrations (VHA) Office of Community Engagement (OCE) detailed some of the highly successful VA volunteer partnerships that have benefitted Veterans across the country. OCE also recognized the importance that volunteers have made throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. OCE and VAVS share the goal of promoting opportunities for local communities to contribute to VA’s mission and to provide resources to Veterans in their area. OCE facilities numerous VHA partnerships that thrive in communities across the nation because of volunteers.
“A voluntary spirit is what drives some of the most successful VHA partnerships across the nation,” said Dr. Tracy Weistreich, nurse executive for OCE. “We are inspired to see the work that VAVS has done to provide Veterans and VA health care teams with the protective equipment to stay safe during this pandemic, and we are extremely appreciative of the generosity from companies like John Deere during these trying times. I would encourage anyone interested in making a difference in the lives of Veterans to get involved with VAVS.”
Individuals or organizations interested in donating to support the care and service of Veterans can reach out to VA Voluntary Service.
To learn more about how OCE builds effective partnerships across VHA to support Veterans, visit: https://www.va.gov/HEALTHPARTNERSHIPS/partnerships.asp.
External Link Disclaimer: This page contains links that will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites.
Posted September 18, 2020
