The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Stand Down of South Jersey Committee, Inc. co-hosted Stand Down 2016 on Sept. 23.

The event at the National Guard armory in Cherry Hill provided homeless veterans with access to healthcare, mental health screening, substance abuse counseling, social services, legal services, religious counseling, a hot meal, a haircut and winter clothing.

Since 1996, the South Jersey Stand Down has served as a catalyst that enables homeless veterans to re-enter mainstream society. Last year, nearly 400 homeless veterans and their families attended Stand Downs in Cherry Hill and Newark.

Stand Down comes from the military term referring to exhausted combat units that were removed from the battlefront to a place of security and safety for rest and recovery. Today Stand Downs are grass roots, community-based intervention program to help veterans’ battle life on the streets.

The organizations supporting Stand Down 2011 are New Jersey Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs, Stand Down of South Jersey, Inc., the U.S. Veterans Administration, The Retired Officers Association, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Marine Corps League, American Ex-Prisoners of War, Veterans of Foreign War, Gold Star Wives, Jewish War Veterans, Burlington County Veterans Services Office, Camden County Veterans Services Office, Camden County Board of Social Services, Community Services of Camden County and the U.S. Department of Labor.