Information on dozens of state programs for veterans will be available at the Finger Lakes Welcome Center in the coming weeks.
The state says it will install a kiosk at the Finger Lakes Welcome Center in Geneva so it can be used as an easy gateway for vets to learn about state programs.
Three similar kiosks have already been installed around the state.
Five other kiosks have been purchased and will be installed after they are delivered at the following locations: Adirondacks Welcome Center (Interstate 87, Queensbury); Mohawk Valley Welcome Center (Interstate 90, Fultonville); North Country Welcome Center (Collins Landing Road, Alexandria Bay); Southern Tier Welcome Center (Interstate 81, Kirkwood); and Western New York Welcome Center (Alvin Road, Grand Island).
“Every day in New York, we strive to ensure that those who have served our country have easy access to all of the benefits and programs available to them,” Governor Kathy Hochul said in an announcement. “Through cross-agency collaborations and initiatives like this expansion of digital kiosks, we are improving access to services and demonstrating New York’s continued commitment to making our state the best place for veterans and their families to call home. We thank and honor them for their service to our nation.”
In addition to the kiosk initiative, the Division of Veterans’ Services will expand a pilot program it began this spring with the New York State Department of Labor. At five field offices, veterans and military families receiving services from either DOL or DVS were asked whether they would like to be referred from DVS to DOL for employment assistance, or from DOL to DVS for veterans’ benefits assistance.
Veterans who opted in received a secure referral that provided them with additional advocacy and assistance to make the most of the benefits, services and resources that they have rightfully earned. The pilot resulted in more than 200 veterans receiving referrals for services between March 2022 and October 2022. Based on that success, DVS and DOL will expand the initiative to every DOL and DVS field office statewide.
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