In Suffolk, advocates aiming to close support gap for veterans 

Marine Corps veteran Melanie Corinne knows the challenges of reaching her peers.

As project coordinator for the Dwyer Project, a support group centered on reaching veterans through individual mentorship, she has seen gaps between veterans and mechanisms designed to help them through their battles at home.

“The hardest part about helping veterans is getting the information to them,” said Corinne, 30. “It’s very hard to get them to ask for help, but if they’re open to help, it’s even harder for them to know where to find that help.”

That is where coordination between agencies and advocates in Suffolk County, an area the U.S. Census Bureau says is home to an estimated 56,000 veterans, becomes essential, she said.

The Suffolk County Veterans Services Agency, in partnership with the Long Island Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition, will hold an event from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the H. Lee Dennison Building at 100 Veterans Memorial Hwy. in Hauppauge to provide veterans with clothes, fresh produce and information about veteran-focused nonprofit programs and other services.

Dozens of organizations and county agencies will participate in the Veterans Resource and Stand Down Event, including the Dwyer Project. 

More than 500 veterans have received resources at the annual event in the past two years and 200 veterans are expected to attend this year, according to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone's office.

Corinne said her organization became more flexible during the pandemic, using phone checks and remote meetings that have kept up as an option for veterans seeking camaraderie and help. But she said gaps in support still persist. 

Some veterans have deep-seated mistrust toward institutions and are unlikely to accept help, according to Corinne, who said that presents a challenge for those attempting to combat issues facing veterans that include suicide. 

“There's a lot of combat- and noncombat-related trauma for veterans to work through, and for some veterans that process takes them away from those resources because they want, they choose, to be separate from that identity,” Corinne said.

To bridge that divide, some organizations try to meet veterans on their own terms, including Paws of War, a Nesconset nonprofit that connects veterans and first responders with service dogs.

Robert Misseri, the co-founder of the organization, said community events serve as an important opportunity to build trust among veterans and showcase the potential benefit of a four-legged companion.

“We’re confident that it saves countless lives,” Misseri added.

Bellone said Tuesday’s event is “our way of showing gratitude and providing the tangible assistance our veterans truly deserve."

For more information, call 631-853-VETS. Staff will be available to escort veterans to and from their vehicles.