Chester County is launching a Peer Ambassador Program aimed at connecting veterans with information about benefits and local resources, county officials said.
The effort grew out of Innovate Chester County, an initiative that invited residents to propose solutions and recommendations for challenges facing county government, according to the Chester County Department of Veterans Affairs.
The initiative also examined issues including affordable housing, public transportation, children’s mental health, and agriculture.
In a joint statement, the Chester County commissioners said the peer ambassador effort was a direct result of the Innovate Chester County process and was intended to help ensure veterans in the county are connected to services.
Three peer ambassadors were selected to pilot the program and will attend outreach events across the county with the Department of Veterans Affairs, officials said. The ambassadors will talk with veterans one-on-one and in small groups about where to seek help for mental health, housing, addiction, employment, and other needs.
“Sometimes the hardest step for a veteran is simply knowing where to turn,” said Susie Fink, director of the Chester County Department of Veterans Affairs. She said the program is intended to build trust through peer-to-peer connections and help veterans find answers.
The ambassadors include:
Eric Stetson, a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who served in active duty from 1991 to 2015; Vincent Perez, who serves on the Board of Directors of the Delaware County Veterans Memorial Association and is an elected member of the Delaware County Veterans Advisory Council; and Sarah Mears, a military spouse and a Military Family Readiness Specialist with the Delaware Army National Guard
To learn more about the Peer Ambassador Program, go to https://www.chesco.org/5963/Veterans-Affairs-Ambassadors.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
