Giving Back
Giving Back to the VA Community
VCS is proud to be part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We are a self-sustaining entity providing merchandise and services to Veterans enrolled in VA’s healthcare system, their families, caregivers, VA employees, volunteers, and visitors. We are honored to give back to the VA community through many programs established for the health and well-being of our nation’s heroes. Revenues generated from VCS are used to support a variety of programs, such as VA’s Rehabilitation Games, Fisher Houses, disaster relief efforts, Substance Abuse Cessation, VA’s Homelessness initiatives, Women Veterans, Veteran Suicide Prevention, and other activities that help Veterans.
National Rehabilitation Games:
VCS sponsors five of VA’s National Rehabilitation Events: Golden Age Games, Wheelchair Games, Golf Clinic, Summer Sports Clinic, and Creative Arts Festival. These programs allow disabled Veterans of all ages and abilities to participate in adaptive sports programs and special events. VCS provides monetary donations, sends a support team to each event, and hands out goodie bags to Veteran participants. VCS proudly supports these events as they promote wellness, rehabilitation, and camaraderie among the Veteran athletes.
Fisher House:
VCS supports VA Fisher Houses across the country by providing coupons to first-time visiting families and being their purchasing source for supplies and necessities.
Reducing Veteran Homelessness:
Ending Veteran homelessness is a top priority, and VCS supports this VA initiative through our partnership. Our partnership began in 2011 to provide a free meal to Veterans at their first appointment at a VA Medical Center and to give $20 in coupons to each Veteran placed into housing through the HUD-VASH Program. In 2014, the initiative grew, as the need for beds and household supplies became crucial for Veterans moving off the street and into a new home. VCS partnered with Serta to provide queen-sized beds and partnered with the Veteran-owned Lodging Kit Company to provide move-in kits containing bed, bath, and kitchen supplies.
Suicide Prevention:
Prevention of suicide begins with a simple act of support. Everyone can play a role in preventing suicide. VCS partnered with the Office of Mental Health & Suicide Prevention to help disseminate training and communications to all VA employees, VA volunteers, caretakers, and other stakeholders and partners. We support face-to-face training for all employees that gives them the knowledge and skills to identify when a Veteran could be at risk for suicide or a life crisis.
Women Veterans:
VCS partners with the Center for Women Veterans to provide tools and resources for health services, education benefits, employment, support groups, special events, and much more. VCS supported a traveling exhibit for Women Veteran artists across the country. In May 2018, the Center for Women Veterans hosted their inaugural National Baby Shower for soon-to-be Veteran mothers.
Disaster Relief:
The VA/VCS Emergency Mobile Food Unit provides support for Department of Veterans Affairs response teams deployed under emergency conditions. These units provide meal support and other food services to afflicted areas around the country, supporting patients, staff, and members of the VA community.
One of VA’s major initiatives is to ensure preparedness to meet emergent national needs, and VCS is proud to support this initiative.
Sustainability:
VCS strives to be an environmentally friendly organization, and we have made several changes to our internal business processes and practices to become more sustainable. We have implemented the following “going green” initiatives:
- Selling reusable shopping bags in our stores
- Using retail plastic bags made from recycled product
- Using paper coffee cups made from recycled product
- Using napkins made from recycled product
- Recycling cooking oil in our cafes
- Trash compactors to reduce labor and save plastic trash bags from entering waste streams and landfills
