Veterans Connect @ the Library Newsletter

Vol. 4, Issue 4: Mar-Apr 2021

How to keep your veterans connected to their benefits using your free VetNow/JobNow subscription

Make the most of your Veteran Resource Center, even while closed, with your VetNow subscription. Brainfuse has created a dropbox filled with easy-to-use resources.

The dropbox includes documents, social media offerings and web icons, Spanish language materials and film clips. The link is available from Veterans Connect @ the Library PR Toolkit page here: https://calibrariesforveterans.org/prtoolkit.html or use these direct links: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t4rr7gi5puy9avj/AAC_uftQF_HDQ5M_ YahYXLjha?dl=0 or: https://bit.ly/CAbrainfuse

Sample hashtags:

#vabenefits
#veterans
#anonymous
#whatlibrariesdo

Learning Webinars:

Get Connected and Engaged with your Veteran Coalition/Collaborative

March 24, 2021

Replay available here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/HJqaLfKjUqNUl6fWksfO9p2hjL9QL_oThlerqjiQR_e2DzJ 3XnuovUS3yonsTVMg.9K8Xj21_XkR88Eyb?startTime=1616612621000

A joint meeting of Cal Vet and Veterans Connect @ the Library staff was held on March 24 to discuss outreach in your local veteran communities. Outreach will result in you meeting more veterans and veteran service agencies and thus expanding the “reach” to veterans.

During the Community of Practice meeting, a panel of CalVet LINCs (Local Interagency Network Coordinators) and staff from Veterans Connect @ the library sites, discussed why it is important to attend your local collaboratives or coalition, how to get connected, and what libraries have to bring to the table.

You Served, You Earned: Helping Veterans Learn about and Use the Benefits They Earned

April 22 & April 28 (attend one only)
Time: 12:00 - 2:00 pm

What: Experts from CalVet will teach you the most commonly asked questions by Veterans and their family members and where to find the answers! At the end, you will be able to answer many questions, even when the Veteran or Veteran family member posing the question isn’t quite sure what to ask. You will also be able to refer Veterans and their family members to the right Federal, California, and/or local resources so Veterans can obtain and use their earned benefits.

Why does this matter? Your goal is to connect veterans to their benefits. With over 1.5 million veterans in California and with an estimate of only 49% of them using at least one benefit, there is a tremendous amount of work to do. In libraries we do this work inside the library and by attending community events. This outreach is much more effective when done in conjunction with all the other local veteran agencies in your community.

The workshop will be presented twice by two different teams. You only need to attend one workshop. The April 22 workshop will be led by Northern CalVet team members, and the April 28 will have Southern California team members as presenters. If you cannot attend the one for your geographic area, don’t worry, you can attend the other one.

Register in advance here:

April 22 - https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=975&reset=1
April 28 - https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=976&reset=1

Why VetNow/JobNow is vital to revitalizing your Veterans Connect @ the Library program

With many libraries still closed, your free VetNow/JobNow subscription can help revitalize your Veterans Connect @ the Library program by offering a plethora of services online. Perhaps the most important benefit is that your local veterans can connect anonymously with a Live Veteran Benefits Navigator to get help determining their eligible benefits.

Another major benefit is the live Resume Review. In addition to access to resume templates and resume review, veterans can access a live resume navigator for a coaching session including role-playing interviews. Note: All VetNow navigators are veterans themselves.

The VetNow program can only benefit your local veterans if they know about. Check the slide below for where to link the VetNow information.

Reminder: All Veterans Connect @ the Library sites have $200 to purchase social media to promote VetNow. These funds should be used by April 15, 2021.

Live online help is available every day from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM PST.

Two things to check right now:

1. Check your library's homepage. Is there an easy-to-locate link to VetNow? Is there a link to your Veterans Resource Center? Does your Veteran Resource Center webpage have a logo and link to VetNow?
2. Check your library's social media postings on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and others. Has VetNow/JobNow been highlighted?

Where to Place Links

• Homepage
• Navigation menu and quick links options
• eLearning, Research, Resources pages
• Teen/Adult Learner pages
• Job/Career pages
• Veterans Resources

Planning ahead for Veteran events? Here are some special events in May to get you started.

Coming in MAY:

• National Military Appreciation Month
• May 1, 2021- Loyalty Day - A day set aside for American citizens to reaffirm their loyalty to the United States and to recognize the heritage of American freedom.
• May 7, 2021 - Military Spouse Appreciation Day
• May 31, 2021 - Memorial Day (Decoration Day) - A day set aside to commemorate all who have died in military service for the United States. Typically recognized by parades, visiting memorials and cemeteries.

Ideas:

• online parade
• memorial craft idea for Grab and Go kits
• card writing campaign for distribution to local veteran homes and facilities

VACCINES & VETS: Important News Update!

All veterans, spouses and caregivers are now eligible for the covid vaccine.

When someone asks you about vaccines, be sure to ask “have your served?” Veterans have an additional source to receive vaccines.

All veterans (including veterans living abroad), spouses and caregivers should all be able to access vaccines soon, depending on supply chain availability. The SAVELIVES Act (Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize all Veterans and Every Spouse) was passed into law March 24. This includes veterans not now receiving VA healthcare.

To date about 1.5 million veterans have been vaccinated. This new Act should increase the number eligible from 9.5 million to 33 million people.

More information here: https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5649

Information on how to schedule: https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/

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Please remember to input your monthly statistics here: https://bit.ly/vetconnect2021