Mobile to host Alabama’s Challenge Veterans Town Hall, Resource and Job Fair
May 19th, 2022
Posted in: Press Release
- May 18, 2022 -
For Immediate Release:
Mobile to host Alabama’s Challenge
Veterans Town Hall, Resource and Job Fair
WHO: Mayor Sandy Stimpson
Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs
Alabama's Challenge Team
WHAT: Alabama’s Challenge Veterans Town Hall, Resource and Job Fair
WHEN: Monday, May 23, 2022 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
WHERE: USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
2703 Battleship Parkway, Mobile, AL 36602
Mobile, Ala. – The City of Mobile will serve as the next stop on a statewide tour of veterans' well-being town halls hosted by the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and Alabama's Challenge for Preventing Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families (SMVF).
Mobile's town hall is scheduled for Monday, May 23 at 10 a.m. at USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park and will be followed by a resource and job fair. The event is open to all veterans, friends, and family members of veterans in Mobile and Baldwin counties. The event will conclude at 2 p.m.
"We appreciate the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and the other partners behind Alabama's Challenge for bringing this event to our area," Mayor Sandy Stimpson said. "We owe our men and women in uniform more than we could ever give them, but our community has always had strong support for veterans. We are also fortunate to have agencies and organizations in our area dedicated to veterans' well-being, and we want to make sure those resources are reaching the people who need them most."
Alabama's Challenge is a statewide effort to combat the continuing stigma veterans face regarding mental health. Approximately 17 veterans in the U.S. die by suicide per day. The veteran suicide rate in Alabama is even higher than the national average and significantly higher than the national average for civilians. Recently released data shows nearly 18 percent of those who died from suicide in Alabama in 2020 were veterans, though only 9.1 percent of Alabamians have served. Male Veterans die by suicide at a rate 1.3 times higher than their civilian counterparts, and it is 2.1 times higher for women veterans.
The May 23 town hall will feature presenters from the community, state, and national levels to discuss the various services available to assist Alabama veterans. Additional providers will also be available during the resource and job fair afterward.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the City of Mobile to promote the well-being of veterans in the Gulf Coast region," said Alabama's Challenge Co-Chair Kent Davis, who is also the Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs. "It's easy to see why this area is known for its pride in our military and veterans. The partners of Alabama's Challenge are thrilled to collaborate for an important cause with a strong community. We look forward to sustaining this partnership and continue serving those who have served us."
Alabama's Challenge is an initiative working to create an impactful, long-term outcome across the state as we continue to change the stigma associated with mental health. Raising awareness of suicide prevention can help us understand the cause and circumstances that lead to mental health crises. The ADVA is a lead agency within Alabama's Challenge and provides information about suicide and support and resources to deal with PTSD and other mental health crises.