The Ventura County Library is pleased to announce a new Veterans Resource Center made possible by a grant administered by the State Librarian. The purpose of the grant is to reintegrate California veterans into the California workforce and community.

The Veterans Resource Center will open at E. P. Foster library in downtown Ventura on March 7th at 4:00. The opening ceremony will continue that evening at The Big Read kickoff held at Bell Arts Factory.

The centers, staffed by library volunteers trained by CalVet, will make it easier for veterans and their families to learn about the state and federal benefits they have earned through military service and how to claim them and about the local services available to them.

Recognizing the need to reach and serve more California veterans, in October 2012, the State Library, in coordination with CalVet, conducted a pilot project to create Veterans Resource Centers in public libraries. The project received grant funding from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to open veterans centers in Bakersfield, Redding and San Diego libraries. Those libraries, now open for over a year, have served more than 4,000 veterans and veteran families.

California is home to 1.8 million veterans. An additional 40,000 veterans are expected to return to the state every year for the next several years. State and federal benefits can help veterans and their families move successfully forward in civilian life. Veterans’ benefits can help veterans begin or complete their education, care for their health, get job training, find employment, buy or improve their home, and live out their lives with the dignity and respect they deserve. Some veteran dependents qualify for benefits as well.

Unfortunately, many veterans are unaware of the benefits they are entitled to receive or how to claim them. The library Veterans Resource Centers have proven to be an effective way for veterans to get the information and assistance they need.

The library needs volunteers to operate the center. Training and materials are provided by Cal Vet. If you are interested in volunteering to help local vets, please contact Sara Roberts at (805) 641-4414.