{"id":452286,"date":"2026-11-10T02:10:10","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T02:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/452286\/"},"modified":"2026-11-10T02:10:10","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T02:10:10","slug":"tallahassee-veteran-organization-gives-struggling-veterans-a-boost-with-annual-stand-down-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/452286\/","title":{"rendered":"Tallahassee Veteran Organization gives struggling veterans a boost with annual \u2018Stand Down\u2019 event"},"content":{"rendered":"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Serving those who served America. That\u2019s the mantra of the Tallahassee Veteran Organization<\/a>, a group that pours everything into making sure local veterans know help is out there. <\/p>\n

TVO was formed in 2020, born from a tradition that had started in Leon County seven years earlier. <\/p>\n

Retired Army Colonel Washington Sanchez serves as vice president for the group. He brought the first Homeless Veterans Stand Down to the North Florida Fairgrounds in 2013. <\/p>\n

He had heard about a similar event in San Diego making a world of difference for veterans in Southern California. He made the trek west to check it out. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was amazed,\u201d he told WCTV. \u201dI was very, very impressed with what they were doing. And so I said, we can do this. We can definitely do this,” Sanchez said. <\/p>\n

Col. Sanchez spent two combat tours in Vietnam. He\u2019s spent his life post-war working to lift up his fellow veterans.<\/p>\n

In the years since that first campout on the fairgrounds, the event has swelled in size, bringing dozens of local, state and federal resources under one roof. <\/p>\n

One of the first booths veterans encounter is for the local Department of Veterans Affairs office. Col. Sanchez says too many veterans shun the VA and its benefits. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe stories that they hear about the VA are not necessarily true,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey need to give them a chance to, to prove it to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Althamese Smith is TVO\u2019s event coordinator, spending months organizing the annual event. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe do have an enormous amount of individuals that we partner with to make TVO be who it is today,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

More Tallahassee news:<\/p>\n

For the past few years, Florida A&M\u2019s Al Lawson Center has played host. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe let them know that you are worth bringing all these resources together,\u201d Smith said. <\/p>\n

The bustling marketplace there is alive with activity. Barbers are hard at work offering haircuts. Masseuses dig in, offering massages to relieve pain and stress. <\/p>\n

And down below, the sound of dogs barking fills the Lawson Center\u2019s inner hallways. <\/p>\n

Northwood Animal Hospital Veterinarian Dr. Sondra Brown has been with the Stand Down from the start. Her free vet clinic is sometimes the only way for a veteran\u2019s best friend to get vital care. <\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes they\u2019re making difficult choices between paying the rent or paying for their animals\u2019 medications that they need,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe do full exams, heartworm tests, feline leukemia, FIV tests on the cats, vaccines.\u201d <\/p>\n

Veteran Kenneth Copeland first encountered the Stand Down almost a decade ago, during a time of his life he needed a helping hand. <\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that first time, it was like I was in love,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for Copeland to repay the favor, serving as a volunteer himself. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnything, you know, for my fellow vets, because they looked out for me. So, you know, why not, you know, try to give back? That\u2019s the biggest thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

He now helps Second Harvest of the Big Bend each year distribute non-perishable goods to veterans at the Stand Down. <\/p>\n

Looking ahead, TVO is on a mission to grow. Working for years on a tight budget, they\u2019re now aiming to hold more events throughout the year. <\/p>\n

They just expanded the Stand Down to include spouses of those who served. <\/p>\n

\u201cMaking sure that we\u2019re able to extend some of the funds out to them as well,\u201d Smith said. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor some of those who have lost their spouses, they haven\u2019t been able to really get up on their feet. \u201d<\/p>\n

The mission remains clear: bring an entire village under one roof to give a hero a better tomorrow. <\/p>\n

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