When U.S. Army veteran and native Chattanoogan Vincent Spann returned home following his retirement from the armed forces in October 2001, he had difficulty locating targeted resources in the area, such as organizations that assist retired veterans in finding employment.
The idea behind his new nonprofit organization, Connecting Veterans to Resources, is to help other local vets transition to civilian life by creating a one-stop shop where they can access resources such as housing assistance, help applying for disability benefits, or assistance for vets with criminal records in getting their records expunged.
“I want it to be a seamless transition,” he said of retiring from the armed forces. “We need more people on the ground giving veterans the information they need.”
Vincent Spann / Photo contributed by Vincent SpannSpann said he plans to open the organization’s facility, located on Fourth Avenue in East Chattanooga, in November around Veterans Day. It will serve veterans of all branches of the armed forces, regardless of their reason for discharge.
“Veterans are one of our most precious stones in our society,” said Spann. “I think it’s important to give them a place to come to build their relationships with other vets and support each other going forward.”