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Helping veterans find employment, educational opportunities, housing and counseling services were just some of the things discussed at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Open House on Wednesday, Aug.16. 

Representatives from more than 10 agencies and organizations in the St. Louis and Metro East area met to talk and network on the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus (WHYHEC). 

“People are still coming out of the pandemic, and I wanted to bring veteran groups together, face-to-face,” said VUB Director James Robbins, an Air Force veteran who has worked serving veterans for more than 40 years. “We are better together. It’s important if we know what we each bring to the table and then network together to help serve veterans to the best of our abilities.” 

“I came to get information and let people know about the great services we have at Chestnut Health Systems,” said Amanda Depew, Supported Services for Veterans Families case manager III and Air Force veteran. “We help get veterans housing, mental health counseling and offer addiction treatment, among other things.” 

“We have to be impactful in the lives of veterans,” said David L. Cozart, veteran outreach specialist and homeless coordinator at the St. Louis Vet Center. “We want to make a difference. We didn’t come together to waste time. We came together to figure out something that is going to benefit veterans.” Cozart is retired from the Army. 

“We have a lot of new faces around the table, of which I am one,” said VUB Program Director Dominique Bibbs. “It’s good for us to get to know one another, and then we can bring everyone together for future events.” 

“Forging a strong connection with other veteran groups is key in providing comprehensive services to veterans,” said VUB Program Coordinator Yasin Jackson, an Army veteran. 

VUB utilizes the tutoring system, ComFit, to help veterans with math, writing and other subjects, in addition to college placing exams such the SAT’s. Jackson illustrated to the group how ComFit works. The group also toured the WHYHEC. 

“We have a beautiful campus here in East St. Louis,” said Robbins. “We have a Head Start/Early Head Start program, several Upward Bounds programs, Building Futures, Project Success and the East St. Louis Center for Performing Arts programs. We also have a Charter High School, a Learning Resource Center, a Small Business Development Center, the WE CARE Clinic, the SIU School of Dental Medicine and an Optometry Clinic. We have a wealth of opportunities for veterans, their families and the community to access.” 

VUB will hold a Resource Fair from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24 in the Multipurpose Room in Building D on the WHYHEC, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd. in East St. Louis.  

Veterans Upward Bound assists with the pursuit of vocational/technical, associate and bachelor’s degrees. The program provides supportive services to military veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserve to enable them to enter or re-enter a vocational/technical school or a two- or four-year college. The program is seeking veterans who want to further their education but need help navigating the enrollment process and finding financial assistance, those who need help in balancing work and family and those who are ready to take on the task of making life better for themselves and their families. 

Photos:
SIUE East St. Louis Center’s VUB held its Open House for area veterans’ organizations on Wednesday, Aug. 16 at the WHYHEC. 

VUB Program Coordinator Yasin Jackson gives a presentation of how the program helps veterans.