Veterans Services Collaborative

 Success is a dynamic word that has so many meanings. Why is that? One could say there are different levels of success: financial, academic, career-wise and several others. There is one that many of us do not really think about, and that is success through servicing others. Our world revolves on a “go-getters” attitude where only a few people use their talents in support of helping others achieve their goals. Santa Clarita Valley’s Veteran Services Collaborative Center is setting the standard for supporting our veterans. Recently, they have appointed Jeff Stabile as the new Executive Director. Under his guidance, the center will continue to put our veterans in touch with vital services they need to succeed. “I get the opportunity to help a young person, recently discharged, with his educational needs and then, the next day, I assist an 89-year-old Merchant Marine working through health issues. Sometimes it may be just to listen to a veteran who needs to visit with someone.”
Jeff is a retired airman who served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. Originally from Douglaston, New York, he and his wife, Peggy, moved to Santa Clarita in 1979. With a background in marketing and sales, Jeff will utilize his 40+ years of experience to oversee the support of our veterans through the Collaborative’s Center. “Once I retired, I wanted to find some way to give back to my community.  As a USAF Veteran, I read about the Santa Clarita Veteran Services Collaborative and walked in one day to volunteer. Several months later, I was asked to be the Executive Director.” As the Executive Director, Jeff can help to ensure that this Collaborative and the Center continues to function and support the several thousand Santa Clarita Veterans and their families.
This year the Collaborative plans to arrange for a Veteran Services Officer (VSO) to be assigned to the Center.  These VSOs are LA County employees that have extensive training in VA benefits.  They guide veterans in filing VA forms and in providing proper responses and information to assist them in receiving benefits. “We currently have a VSO who volunteers, on his own time, the first three Saturdays of each month but we still have to turn away 25 to 30 percent (20 to 25 individuals) of the veterans who come seeking his services.” Also, they plan to raise funds in order to become a self-sustaining organization through donations, grants and Corporate Partnerships, and to increase the number of Collaborative members by 50 percent.