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September 9, 202520th annual Stand Down Event, our biggest EVER!
Stand Down 2025: A Day of Impact For Our Hoosier Heroes
This year marked the 20th anniversary of our Stand Down event, and it was an incredible success thanks to the tireless efforts of our team, volunteers, and community partners. Over the past two decades, this event has grown into a vital resource for veterans in need, and this year was no exception. At the end of the day, 164 veterans were served, making this milestone year our most impactful Stand Down to date!
A heartfelt thank you goes out to every HVAF employee who contributed to making this event a success. This year, we welcomed even more vendors than ever and were able to serve even more veterans than last year—an accomplishment worth celebrating!
This year’s Stand Down event saw an incredible turnout with 68 vendors in attendance, including organizations offering housing assistance, employment opportunities, mental health services, and essential supplies for veterans in need. Vendors included federal agencies like the Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service, healthcare providers such as the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, educational institutions including Ivy Tech Community College and Indiana Tech, and community organizations ranging from the American Red Cross to local American Legion auxiliaries. These dedicated vendors helped create a space where veterans could access vital resources and support under one roof, further strengthening our mission to serve those who served us.
Thanks to the generosity and unwavering support of donors like you, the impact of HVAF’s mission continues to grow every day. In addition to the incredible number of veterans served, we are proud to share that eight veterans in attendance at Stand Down, who were unsheltered the night before, now have a place to call home! Your contributions truly make life-changing differences for our heroes in need.
The impact of the event was felt deeply by those we served. As USMC veteran Jaime shared, “I’ve never been treated so nice before.”
At HVAF, our mission is driven by the belief that every veteran deserves safety, stability, and respect. This event not only highlights our ability to connect veterans to essential resources but also showcases the power of our Hoosier community in creating positive change. Thank you to everyone who played a part in making a difference at Stand Down!