Community Looks provides critical resources to homeless veterans, first event since COVID

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) – This is the first time since COVID that the 2024 Homeless Veteran Stand-Down has been held, and officials said about 50 people showed up to receive assistance.

Jervis Jackson, one of the event organizers, said this was critical to providing homeless veterans with the resources they need, especially in a military community like Lawton/Ft Sill.

“This is just a one-day event where we want to love our veterans,” Jackson said.

Services range from hot meals to accommodation and legal assistance.

“We could just sum it all up for one,” Jackson added. “If it can change that person’s life. This is the moment. It’s worth it.”

Jackson said point-in-time counting will also be introduced alongside the services provided. Here, volunteers go into the community to get a better sense of how many homeless people there are and thus get a better idea of what resources are needed.

The count also affects funding opportunities.

“If we need to improve our game, we will,” Jackson said.

Jackson said this event led to the creation of the Veterans Resource Center, which runs this one-day event and provides the same vital resources every day.

“Nothing of this magnitude can be done without the support of the agencies, the resources and the individuals within this community who heard the call and responded to the call,” Jackson said. “They responded very positively to it.”

Over time, they reduced veteran homelessness by 70%.

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