To donate to the Georgia Cancer Specialists and Northside Hospital’s Stand Up for Stand Down event, email Robin Williams at infoatppcoa@yahoo.com
A former U.S. Marine, veteran Robin Williams wanted to be a part of Veterans Affairs’ annual event that provides resources and a day of respite for Atlanta’s homeless veterans population.
She volunteers with the Peachtree Pilot Club of Atlanta, and brought the Stand Up for Stand Down collection drive to the service organization that is focused on brain health and the prevention of brain related injuries. The collection drive aims to gather toiletry items, travel or regular-sized, which will be organized into comfort kits to be sent to the medical center.
And in 2013, Williams was inspired to organize the event with the Georgia Cancer Specialists and Northside Hospital to help collect more items to donate to the VA.
“When I brought this idea to president (Al Soltan), he was excited to make this a part of GCS’ efforts to the community,” said Williams, who also works in research at GCS. “The first event (in 2013) was such a great success that we wanted to do it again and contribute a lot more the Stand Down event.”
Kicking off its third year, Stand Up for Stand Down will run until Sept. 5 to benefit the Stand Down event that is held in October benefitting over 400 homeless veterans at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur.
The Stand Down is a one-day event that, “allows our veterans to come get meals, showers, clothing, haircuts and find resources to get permanent housing, return to employment and more,” said April Edwards,, clinical director of the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Program. “Having GCS and Northside Hospital take part in collecting these items adds to a very integral part of the Stand Down to help our veterans.”
“Stand Down” is a military term that refers to the time when troops are brought back from the battlefield for rest and recuperation.
Twenty-seven GCS offices across Georgia – including 19 in Metro Atlanta – will participate in this year’s drive. Toiletry and personal care items needed include toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, hand sanitizer, combs/brushes, body wash/soap, shampoo and conditioner, lotion and feminine products.
“It is important for our veterans to know that the people in the community support them, especially in a time when they find themselves in a difficult situation,” said Williams. “The needs of the homeless are beyond what we can imagine, and these small items along with the compassion of the community can make their life easier, even if it is just for a moment.”
In other news: Hardy Family Ford helped raise much-needed funds for the Paulding Child Advocacy Center at a recent test-drive event, a part of Ford Motor Company's Drive 4 UR Community program. Paulding County-area residents test-drove a Ford vehicle at Hardy Family Ford last month and the dealership along with Ford Motor Company donated $20 towards the organization's programs. The test-drive event raise $540 for the Paulding Child Advocacy Center.
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