The Lawrence County Workforce Development Resource Center is offering a veterans assistance program to help homeless or at risk veterans regain stability in their lives.

The program at WDRC was started as part of a VA outreach effort to connect with the veterans in the Tri-State. An outreach center is located in Huntington, W.Va., where veterans can do laundry, shower and get a meal. Its location is a primary reason the outreach program at WDRC is important, said VA social worker Sue Yancy.

“The outreach center in Huntington is great,” Yancy said. “But, if you’re a veteran whose homeless or at risk of being homeless, getting from Ironton or other areas of Lawrence County to Huntington can be difficult.

“That’s why this program is important. Through it we can bring the help to where those who need it are at.”

The program at the WDRC is also reaching out to other organizations such as the Ironton City Welfare Mission and local churches to find those who need help. Yancy says these organizations and churches serve many veterans sometimes without even knowing it.

“We are handing out flyers to local organizations and churches to let them know about our program,” Yancy said. “We are also asking them to ask each person they serve if they have ever been in the military. If they answer yes, we want these organizations to refer them to us. We are all going to need to work together.”

The program at the WDRC is offered weekly on Thursdays from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and focuses on helping veterans take one step at a time toward being able to assimilate back into civilian society.

“We just work step-by-step,” Yancy said. “We figure out what is contributing to their issue, no matter if it’s lack of a job, substance abuse, health issues. No matter what it is we provide help. It can be a difficult transition going from a military life back to an ordinary civilian life and sometimes people need assistance with that transition.”