Advocating for Veterans in Farming Communities

Recently, Eileen Greenlay, Director of Development for Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services attended the NAREB (National Association of Real Estate Brokers) Black Wealth Tour in collaboration with the USDA in Philadelphia. The event brought together federal, state and city agencies, local businesses, nonprofits and the faith-based community to discuss challenges and share best practices in farming. There were several interesting sessions on land acquisition, financial programs, the impact of farming on the economy and food access, and mental health challenges that farmers and rural communities face. Our partner, Teresa Watson, President of the Minority Professional Truckers Association, offered insights on how farming issues such as disruptions with distribution hubs and food processing impact small businesses and the mental health of minority truckers. 

Dixon Center leveraged the opportunity to enhance our capacity building and advocacy efforts within farming and trucking as these industries have a significant number of veterans. This included consulting with the Office of Veterans Affairs with the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services on how veterans can access their mental health resources in the Philadelphia area. Also, Eileen received her certification in QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer.), a universal suicide prevention method.