Today, on California Nonprofits Day, Senator Jim Nielsen, R-Red Bluff, honored Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 582 of Butte County as the “2022 Nonprofit of the Year” for Senate District 4 at the State Capitol.

“The services and support VVA 582 provides our Vietnam veterans are vital and are a powerful contribution to their quality of life in Senate District 4,” said Nielsen. 

VVA’s goals are to promote and support the full range of issues important to Vietnam veterans, to create a new identity for this generation of veterans, and to change public perception of Vietnam veterans. 

VVA 582’s main event is the Butte County Veterans Stand Down, which helps provide resources to local veterans who are struggling, with an emphasis on getting veterans out of homelessness. At the 2021 event in October in Chico, water canteens, sleeping bags, boots, and even jackets were given to veterans for free, just in time for winter.

“It is a deep honor to receive this award from Senator Nielsen,” said Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 582 President Ron Matheson. “It warms my heart to help Vietnam veterans get off the streets.”

VVA strives to achieve the following:

·         aggressively advocate on issues important to veterans;

·         seek full access to quality health care for veterans;

·         identify the full range of disabling injuries and illnesses incurred during military service;

·         hold government agencies accountable for following laws mandating veterans’ health care;

·         create a positive public perception of Vietnam veterans;

·         seek the fullest possible accounting of America’s POWs and MIAs;

·         support the next generation of America’s war veterans; and

·         serve its communities.

For information on how to contact VVA 582, visit https://vva.org/chapter/vva-chapter-582/.