Tioga County aims to target veterans through local food assistance network

[By Matt Freeze]

The Tioga County Veterans Service Agency is working toward setting up a collaborative effort with fraternal veterans’ organizations throughout the county to boost local food assistance.

County VSA Director Dennis Mullen recently learned that Tioga County’s veteran-to-population ratio ranks among the top five counties in the state.

Other counties may have a higher overall number of veterans, such as Jefferson County, where Fort Drum is located, but on a per-capita basis, Tioga County ranks pretty high, he said.

Given that, and the Legislature’s continued support of veteran services, Mullen said his office works to coordinate help wherever it can.

“We’re developing a food bank that would be a network of all of the county’s fraternal organizations — the VFWs, American Legions,” he said. “We’re going to give them seed money to start, some advertising, and we’re going to try to get it so that local food is available to a veteran in crisis.”

For example, he said if there’s a vet in Candor, they could go to the Candor American Legion and get food, and the same in every municipality throughout the county.

“We’re trying to get it to where it’s easier for the vet to get help in their community,” Mullen said. “I’m really excited about it, because we can’t run a food bank out of the county office.”

Mullen said his office frequently works with food banks and organizations like Catholic Charities, Tioga Opportunities, and others to coordinate help for veterans in need.

“When there’s a crisis situation, they won’t go to one of the food banks or one of the other charities or to the county, but if it’s another veteran at the VFW, they’re more likely,” he said. “They can always get hold of us (at the VSA). You call us, and we will get you directed, and someone will help. We have several outreach partners.”

Mullen noted that a family member of a veteran recently called his office after visiting her dad for his birthday.

“I’ve spent the last two days working with Tioga Opportunities to get an (air conditioning) combination system in (for the veteran), because his daughter called and said, ‘It’s 86 degrees in my dad’s trailer,’” he said.

To learn more about the VSA in Tioga County, you can reach their offices by calling (607) 687-8228.

(Matt Freeze is a senior writer with The Morning Times.)