Kudos to Navy veteran Stewart Bauer in his efforts to aid veterans in the Clark County vicinity through the VFW.
There exists another organization in the area, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, however. During this lodge year that began on April 1, the order in Southwest Washington has provided necessary household items and hygiene products to 105 homeless veterans through the Elks Welcome Home Kit program at a cost of over $24,000. The funding for this program is provided by the Elks National Foundation through the Elks National Veterans Service Commission, the major charitable arm of the Elks.
Our program is more structured than that of the VFW as the veteran must currently be homeless and moving into his or her first permanent housing. Along with that, they must be sponsored by one of myriad organizations in the Clark County/Portland metropolitan area. Our sponsors tell us that they are unable to find a service that duplicates that of the Elks and because of the efforts by the Elks, 80 percent of the veterans returning to society from the streets succeed in changing their way of life by finding employment, conquering drug and alcohol abuse and becoming a proud member of society.
The Elks are proud of their work with homeless veterans and will continue to serve them when called upon. Remember our slogan: “As long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them,” and we have not.
