March 20, 2019

Castro Announces $353,457 for Alamo Area Council of Governments to Assist with Veterans

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a member of the House Intelligence Committee and House Education and Labor Committee, today welcomed the $353,457 grant for Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) to assist with recruiting volunteers that engage and serve senior veterans in Bexar County.

“As Military City USA, we must continue advocating for our men and women in uniform especially when they return home. I welcome the Corporation for National and Community Service’s (CNCS) tremendous grant that will help AACOG and the Senior Corps Choose Home Demonstration Program take on a larger scope to support our veterans and place them with committed senior volunteers to assist them with their daily needs,” said Rep. Castro. “We must ensure our veterans receive all the necessary services needed upon return, and I thank all those—especially my friend Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)—who are helping forge important bonds within our community and serve our veterans just as they served our nation.”

Background: The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has awarded a grant of $353,457 to the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) for the Senior Corps Choose Home Demonstration Program, which will place senior volunteers with homebound veterans to assist with daily needs and provide primary caregivers a respite. CNCS – Senior Corps has helped coordinate over 14,000 volunteers in Texas and helped over 1,000 homebound seniors in Texas through the Senior Companion Program. Now, CNCS – Senior Corps is collaborating with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand on the success of the CNCS’ Senior Companion Program by piloting a similar companion program, called Senior Corps Choose Home, specifically serving homebound veterans. AACOG was selected by CNCS in November 2018 as one of a handful of organizations across the nation to implement the pilot program. Using the funding from CNCS, AACOG will collaborate with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) over the next three years to match senior volunteers with homebound senior veterans in Bexar County. The Senior Corps Choose Home volunteers will assist homebound veterans with daily living tasks, provide companionship that will help reduce the health risks associated with social isolation, and enable the veterans’ primary caregivers to receive a much-needed respite.

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