State and Local Officials Dedicate New VOAMASS Van to Support Veterans
State and Local Officials Dedicate New VOAMASS Van to Support Veterans
Plymouth Area Veterans Center Awarded State-Funded Van to Provide Essential Transportation
Leaders from VOAMASS, a nonprofit that creates opportunities for individuals through residential and outpatient behavioral health treatment, re-entry services for justice-involved individuals, veteran services, and senior living, joined state and local officials and area veterans on June 23 to dedicate a new van for its Plymouth Area Veterans Center.
The vehicle, funded through a state grant secured by state Senator Dylan Fernandes, will be used to help area veterans get to medical and behavioral health appointments, places of employment, VA hospitals, and other destinations that are integral to regaining independence and health.
“Our veterans have sacrificed so much to protect our freedoms, and it’s our responsibility to stand up for them when they return home,” said state Senator Dylan Fernandes. “I’m proud to have secured funding for a van for VOAMASS’s Plymouth Area Veterans Center which helps local veterans access the care and services they need.”
“Too often, veteran services across our nation and in Massachusetts can be fragmented and difficult to access,” said VOAMASS President and CEO Charles Gagnon. “The VOAMASS mission is to deliver whole-person care that transforms lives. This necessarily includes essential transportation. We are so grateful for the state’s partnership in everything that we have done in Plymouth to serve our veterans, improve lives, and strengthen community.”
The dedication ceremony was held at the Plymouth Area Veterans Center and featured a check presentation and remarks from state Senator Dylan Fernandes, state Representative Michelle Badger, and state Representative Kathleen LaNatra. Senator Fernandes participated in a ride-along with local veterans in the new van to better understand its impact.
The VOAMASS Plymouth Area Veterans Center opened in collaboration with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services in 2024 to provide veterans with a place to build community and access integrated care and connections to housing, employment, and Veterans Affairs services.
