Loretta Hosts First
Orange County Veterans Fair

 
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez with "Anaheim" John, 
Community Volunteer 


Loretta with Employment Development Department


Loretta with Vietnam Veterans of Orange County

FULLERTON, Calif.--  July 17^th marked Orange County’s first Veterans Fair hosted by Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. The fair brought together more than 30 local veteran-service organizations and provided free health screenings and information about benefits, eligibility and enrollment, long-term care, family counseling, employment opportunities, legal services, pharmaceutical and other community service information to more than 100 veterans and their families.  

“I’m glad we were able to provide this service to our local veteran community,” said Sanchez.  “When the VA informed us that there were many veterans in Orange County that were not taking advantage of their benefits, we decided to spearhead this effort with them.” Sanchez also noted that Orange County is the home to nearly 174,000 veterans, a number that does not include the thousands of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sanchez thanked the veterans for their service, sacrifice and continuous community service. “Our veterans are an amazing group of people. They have not only served and protected this nation in times of war and peace, but they continue to serve their communities and help their fellow veterans. That is why Congress must strive to provide adequate healthcare and benefits for them.”

Newly appointed VA Long Beach Healthcare Director, Ronald Norby, expressed the VA’s enthusiasm in making the Orange County Veterans Fair an annual event. He also thanked Sanchez for her tireless efforts in helping veterans.

“Congresswoman Sanchez is one of the few members of Congress that takes the red-eye every weekend to come home and meet with her constituents. At the VA hospital, she is the one of the most popular legislators to visit. She puts a smile on our veterans’ faces and we always have a high turnout. Loretta is a true champion of veterans’ issues.”

Rep. Sanchez has continually supported increased funding for veterans health care, and has fought to increase the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities.