Veterans’ Outreach group seeks donations for expansion in Mahoning County

By Denise Dick

Veterans’ Outreach operates solely on donations.

STRUTHERS — A non-profit group that assists veterans in need is looking for some help too.

Veterans’ Outreach provides help to veterans in transition including help paying utility bills, buying food, repairing a car and buying gas, but its Youngstown-Poland Road quarters are getting cramped.

The organization, which operates entirely on donations, can’t pay a lot toward rent.

“We’d like to stay under $800 per month,” said Robert Julian, vice president-treasurer.

It also hopes for at least 3,000 square feet in Mahoning County, close to a Western Reserve Transit Authority bus line. If additional space is available, it may expand the services offered.

The office has been in the 1,200 square-foot space it rents on Youngstown-Poland Road for about seven years. The tight confines require employees to store some supplies in the basement of the vacant storefront next door.

Workers collect donations at area stores, especially Wal-Mart and Giant Eagle, but many major retailers in the area prohibit solicitations, limiting those efforts.

“The majority of the people we help are from Mahoning County, but the least amount of our revenue comes from Mahoning County,” Julian said.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.