Over $2 Million in State Funding for Veteran Service Organizations

Veteran Service Organizations across the state, including Columbia Basin Veteran Center, were awarded a total of $2.2 million from the Department of Commerce and Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs.

"The funding is important because many of our veteran organizations work on the ground, dealing with veterans and issues, and were severely impacted by COVID," said Alfie Alvarado-Ramos, agency director. "Many of them had to close their doors."

Many of these organizations sell clothing, items or food to use as revenue for veteran services and COVID restricted these revenue avenues. COVID-19 regulations also made it difficult to conduct in person business and many veterans couldn't receive services throughout the pandemic.

"The funding is able to give the organizations the capability of being able to reopen their doors safely, they will have the supplies that they need to do that," said Alvarado-Ramos.

31 organizations received funding.