CHITTENANGO, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Clear Path for Veterans in Chittenango has seen a spike in people reaching out to their helpline.
Many of those calls that have come in over the past couple of months are from veterans who simply need someone to talk to. They’re alone and stuck in isolation as many of them are part of the vulnerable group of people that need to be isolated because of the coronavirus.
Other calls coming in could be family members of service members who are serving or have served to fight the pandemic in New York City.
The organization has created the “Clear Path for Veterans Buddy Check Program.”
The group of staff members are on standby to answer calls from veterans or family members of service members who are feeling isolated or lonely.
The call-takers are not mental health professionals, but can connect callers to the proper resources.
Though the preferable option is to provide help in person, the phone calls are vital right now.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAYS MANY OF THOSE CALLS ARE VETERANS WHO SIMPLY NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO–THEY’RE ALONE AND STUCK IN ISOLATION, AS THEY ARE PART OF A GROUP THAT IS VULNERABLE TO THIS VIRUS. OTHERS, COULD BE FAMILY MEMBERS OF SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE SERVING OR HAVE SERVED TO FIGHT THE PANDEMIC IN NEW YORK CITY. SO, THEY CREATED THE “CLEAR PATH FOR VETERANS BUDDY CHECK PROGRAM,” IT’S A GROUP OF STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE ON STANDBY TO ANSWER CALLS FROM VETERANS OR FAMILY MEMBERS OF SERVICE MEMBERS WHO ARE FEELING ISOLATED OR LONLEY. THE STAFF MEMBERS ARE NOT MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS BUT CAN CONNECT CALLERS TO THE PROPER RESOURCES. THOUGH THEY’D LIKE TO OFFER THIS HELP IN PERSON, THE PHONE CALLS ARE VITAL RIGHT NOW.
