Cloverlane Foundation participated in the Santa Barbara County Veterans Stand Down, held on Saturday, October 25th at the Santa Maria Fairpark. This event marked its 13th year. The event was started by Santa Barbara County 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino and is geared toward homeless and at-risk veterans.

At the Stand Down, veterans could access legal help and employment assistance, as well as receive clothing, shoes, military gear, and duffle bags. More than 100 local providers, including nonprofits, came together to offer resources for veterans. Additional services included haircuts, hygiene products, medical and dental treatment, and pet care.

Over 500 volunteers, along with active-duty representatives from Vandenberg Space Force Base, assisted approximately 500 veterans at this year’s event. Cloverlane Foundation made a significant contribution by handing out over 900 pairs of men’s socks and almost 400 pairs of women’s socks. All the clothing was purchased by Cloverlane.

We were honored to have Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino visit our table, along with the many veterans who stopped by for free socks and said, “thank you.” Veterans and volunteers enjoyed a free breakfast, donated in part by the Santa Barbara County FoodBank, and a tri-tip lunch cooked by the Santa Maria Elks Lodge #1538.

We encourage everyone to thank our veterans and active military members for their service.

Sincerely,

Suzanne “Sam” de St. Jean, Coordinator

Cloverlane Foundation