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With an engaging smile, dancing eyes and quick, witty responses, Germaine Yancy, of East St. Louis, tells of his plans for his brand-new blue pinstripe suit. Yancy was one of almost 50 veterans who received a free suit and one of more than 120 people who attended the Veterans and Active Duty Resource Fair, hosted by the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) program. 

H.E.R.O.E.S. Care provided 250 suits and more than 30 organizations attended the event, which was held Monday, July 26 at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus. In addition to adding to their wardrobe, the resource fair connected area veterans and active duty men and women to agencies that deliver needed services, according to VUB Program Director James Robbins. Helping veterans select a suit was H.E.R.O.E.S. Care volunteer McKinley Hubbard, a Vietnam Army veteran, and his wife Shirley. 

“This is great! It doesn’t fit exactly like I want, but I will have my tailor take it in,” said Yancy of his suit. “I will be styling and profiling in this, and I will look good when I take it for a spin on the dance floor.” Yancy served in all branches of the military and retired from the Air Force Reserve, after more than 28 years total in the service. 

While the veteran was appreciative of the new suit, in a somber moment Yancy did express his desire to see better treatment for military men and women. “Veterans should be treated with more dignity,” he said. “We put our lives on the line and have been through a lot. I am glad to see the different agencies here, because we should be able to get what we need from the resources available.” 

Roderick Bell, of St. Louis, was also pleased with his light brown suit. He served in the Marines from 1968-71. 

“Anything they do for veterans is necessary, because many people don’t care about veterans,” shared Bell. “When I hear people say, ‘Thank you for your service’ it seems like a lack of thought. I am a Vietnam vet. You either went into service, or you went to jail. When I came home, I wasn’t in the airport for an hour before I had coffee thrown on me, and I was spat on – and this was while I was in uniform.” 

“There has been and there remains a lot of pain for many of our veterans,” acknowledged Robbins. “This is why this resource fair was so important, to provide tangible ways in which to help. Another resource is planned for sometime in October.”

On site was the Wounded Warrior Project, one of the largest non-profit agencies that serves only post 911 veterans nationwide. “We started out small and have grown to include a multitude of services that help veterans in many comprehensive ways,” said representative Chris Miller. 

“Our organization was founded after wars in Iraq and Afghanistan started,” explained Miller. “Our founders wanted to find a way to help warriors. They began making backpacks with t-shirts, sandals, toothbrushes and other items. When I woke up in the hospital in Iraq, I had a backpack that had shorts, a t-shirt, a pair of socks, sandals, a hair brush, toothbrush, toothpaste and more. 

“Since there are less people coming home from war, we have shifted our focus to caring for veterans and their families in the U.S.,” continued Miller. “We provide mental health, fiscal health, wellness activities, employment assistance, resume writing, job finding assistance and more. All programs are free and are provided by donations from the American people.” 

The Wounded Warrior Project funds Emory Health Care, which was also at the resource fair. “We are a

two-week intensive therapy program for post 911 service members,” said Joshua Moss, “who might be dealing with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), anxiety, depression, military sexual trauma or other emotional challenges.” 

The remaining agencies who participated in the fair included: 

• 2X4 For Hope Madison County
• Chestnut Health Services SSF
• Congressman Boost Office Veteran Representative
• Dept. of Veterans Affairs Hope Recovery Center
• Disabled American Veterans
• East St. Louis American Legion Post
• Friends Adult Day Care
• Gateway Veterans in Education Collaborative
• Got Your Six Service Dogs
• Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid
• KSDK Community Outreach

• National Council of Jewish Women
• Reboot Combat Recovery
• Scott AFB Transition Unit
• SIUE Career Development Center
• SIUE Performance Students
• SIUE Military and Veteran Services
• SIU School of Dental Medicine
• St. Louis Vet Center
• Student Veterans of America
• The Kaufman Fund
• Travis Mannion Foundation
• The Vet Center of Metro East
• Veterans Advantage Urgent Care
• Veterans Upward Bound
• VUB Women Veterans Group 

With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals—from pre-school through adult—in the Metro East region. The Center offers programs that give the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. It does so by providing comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts.  

Photos:
Germaine Yancy, of East St. Louis, tries on a suit jacket at the Veterans and Active Duty Resource Fair, hosted by the SIUE Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) program. Assisting Yancy is H.E.R.O.E.S. volunteer McKinley Hubbard. 

Roderick Bell, of St. Louis, inspects a light brown suit.