The Patriot Pantry at the Tucson VA Medical Center is providing groceries and support to veterans across Southern Arizona facing food insecurity.
What started as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic has become a lifeline for veterans dealing with unexpected financial hardships and transportation challenges.
Erica Soyland, outpatient primary care social worker and food security program coordinator at the Tucson VA says the program was born out of necessity.
“So back in 2020, when we started having the lockdowns and that situation, we needed a way that veterans could more easily access food,” Soyland said.
Demand for the program has grown significantly. Monica Oxford, chief of the Center for Development and Civic Engagement at the Tucson VA, says the numbers tell the story…