(KRON) – The Santa Clara County Fairgrounds were bustling with activity Friday as veterans gathered for the free three-day 2025 Veterans Day event.
The event, aimed at supporting veterans, provided a wide range of services including medical and mental health care, housing assistance, and employment support. Organized by the Veterans Affairs Office within the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency, director Darlene Escalante described the event as a “one-stop shop.”
“Unfortunately, the sad truth is that many veterans are completely unaware of the scope of benefits available to them,” said Escalante, who is director of the Veterans Office within the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency.
Escalante highlighted the inclusive nature of the event, noting that it included more than 100 tables providing vital services such as medical insurance support, disability compensation claims, mental health services, free haircuts, and food distribution.
David Coulson, a US veteran, expressed initial skepticism about the event, thinking it would be just a food bank or a basic Veterans Affairs resource center. However, you may be pleasantly surprised by the variety of services available, including assistance with finding work.
Roy Arseroldan, another American veteran, learned about the event from a friend and was impressed by the resources provided. He found the Department of Clothing and Mental Health Services particularly helpful.
Escalante also addressed common misconceptions among veterans, such as the belief that having medical insurance disqualifies them from receiving health care benefits from the VA. She stressed that VA health care is a benefit, not a premium.
Another misunderstanding she pointed out is the assumption that veterans cannot be undocumented, highlighting that some veterans who served in combat are indeed undocumented and deserving of the benefits they earned through their service.
All facts contained in this report were collected by journalists working forCrohn4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat the broadcast transcript into a news article for our website. This report was edited and verified by KRON4 staff before deployment.