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Arizona Veterans StandDown AlliancE

What is the Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance? We are AVSA.

The Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance (AVSA) is a program of the Arizona Housing Coalition (formerly AZCEH), which holds annual events and resource fairs in 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties, including the nation's largest event of it's kind, the annual Maricopa County StandDown. These StandDown events and resource fairs allow veterans and their families who are experiencing housing instability and homelessness to get and stay connected to supportive services.

StandDowns are held in different counties throughout Arizona with the largest, serving 1,858 veterans and their families at the 2019 Maricopa County StandDown.

IMPACT OF AVSA

3,700+ CONNECTED TO SERVICES
In 2018, 3,755 veterans and their families received assistance at a local StandDown event or resource fair in 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties.
2,100+ VETERANS HOUSED
Since January 2015, AVSA has played an active role in the coordination of permanent housing placement for approximately 76 veterans per month in Maricopa County, housing 2,183 veterans in total.

END TO CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS
As a result of lessons & processes learned through AVSA’s past coordination of the Project H3 Vets initiative, 929 chronically homeless veterans have been housed in Maricopa County since 2015.

While its primary goal is helping homeless veterans access the resources needed (including housing) to regain their highest level of independence; its secondary goal is to bring our community and service providers together in a collaborative format that can build relationships throughout the year that positively benefit homeless and at-risk veterans. Ultimately, it is our hope that the events will create the awareness, consistent data, and political & community will necessary to acquire the on-going resources needed to end homelessness, starting with veterans.

The Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance (AVSA) is a program of the Arizona Housing Coalition (formerly AZCEH), which holds annual events and resource fairs in 13 of Arizona's 15 counties, including the nation's largest event of it's kind, the annual Maricopa County StandDown. These StandDown events and resource fairs allow veterans and their families who are experiencing housing instability and homelessness to get and stay connected to supportive services.

IMPACT OF AVSA

2018 NUMBERS, SO FAR
Already this year, four StandDown events and resource fairs have taken place across Arizona: Phoenix (Maricopa County), Bullhead City (Mohave County), Tucson (Pima County), and Florence (Pinal County). To date so far in 2018, AVSA and its partners have served approximately 2,400 veterans, and their families, with even more events planned statewide throughout the year.
3,700+ CONNECTED TO SERVICES
In 2017, 3,755 veterans and their families received assistance at one of 11 local StandDown events or resource fairs in 13 of Arizona's 15 counties. This year, we also proudly partnered with Arizona Dental Society's Mission of Mercy to provide over $332,000 in free dental work to over 300 veterans at our 2018 Maricopa County StandDown. Over 64% of these veterans served claim an annual income of less than $20,000, making this a much-needed and valued addition to services at our Maricopa event.
2,100+ VETERANS HOUSED
Since January 2015, AVSA has played an active role in the coordination of permanent housing placement for approximately 76 veterans per month in Maricopa County, housing 2,183 veterans in total.
END TO CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS
As a result of lessons & processes learned through AVSA's past coordination of the Project H3 Vets initiative, 979 chronically homeless veterans have been housed in Maricopa County, and statewide, since 2015.

While its primary goal is helping homeless veterans access the resources needed (including housing) to regain their highest level of independence; its secondary goal is to bring our community and service providers together in a collaborative format that can build relationships throughout the year that positively benefit homeless and at-risk veterans. Ultimately, it is our hope that the events will create the awareness, consistent data, and political & community will necessary to acquire the on-going resources needed to end homelessness, starting with veterans.

OUR GOAL: To raise awareness of the issue of homelessness among veterans while teaching agencies how to collaborate throughout the year and end homelessness among veterans.

'Stand Down' is a military term that refers to the brief period of time given to a soldier to leave an active combat area in order to rest and regain strength before returning to battle.

A StandDown event or resource fair: is a community-based event in which organizations come together to provide annual one to three day events to serve veterans and their families who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness, and connecting them with critical supportive services to help them gain and maintain housing stability.

Questions regarding AVSA or a StandDown event? Contact us at: info@azhousingcoalition.org

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