The Veterans Association of North County Resource Center is the inspiration of veteran Chuck Atkinson. As a Past Commander of the American Legion Post #146, his dream, initially, was to locate a place where his American Legion Post could meet on a regular basis. However, he had long felt that the North County area lacked a cohesive mechanism for providing important services to his fellow veterans and to the service men and women in the community. He began to collaborate with other veteran associations and the City of Oceanside to find a solution.
His efforts resulted in the signing of a lease between the City of Oceanside and the Veterans Association of North County for the property at 1617 Mission Avenue in Oceanside. The site currently features a 13,500 square foot structure that previously housed the Oceanside Police Department. Construction began in 2013 to transform the existing building into a facility that addressed the specific needs of our veterans, retired and/or active duty personnel, and their families.
The Veterans Association of North County (VANC), is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization created by veterans to empower other veterans, members of the military, and their families by providing needed support and resources. They are an umbrella association that represents more than 30 veteran organizations spanning all branches of military service (including reserve personnel) and encompassing all generations, from active duty through retirees. Their mission is to serve as a one-stop resource center for all veterans and military, centralizing the services of diverse agencies to assist them with jobs, education, finances, health and wellness, and family issues.
For more information on the organization, visit http://vancnorthcounty.org
Join the members of St. Michael’s Foreign & Domestic Missions Ministry on Friday, October 19th at 6:00 pm for the 9th Annual Wine Tasting and Italian Dinner fundraiser. All proceeds benefit the Veterans Association of North County. Show your support and buy tickets today!
This article was written by David Clarke, Foreign & Domestic Missions member.
