Santa Barbara County Veterans Stand Down 2024 Helps Hundreds of Military Vets

During the 12th annual Santa Barbara County Veterans Stand Down at the Santa Maria Fairpark on Saturday, hundreds of military veterans received access to to almost 120 different vital services, including food, haircuts, clothing, housing assistance, legal aid, mental health counseling, medical care and vision screenings, educational services, addiction treatment, pet care, and more.

The Stand Down was founded by 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, who is aided by coordinator Sandy Agalos and a volunteer committee of about 100 people. No taxpayer funds are used for Stand Down.

The ages of attendees ranged from nine people in the range from early twenties to nineties.

Active-duty representatives from Vandenberg Space Force Base were paired with veterans to provide aid carrying items.

Numbers from Saturday’s Stand Down are still being tallied.

For more information about the Santa Barbara County Stand Down, visit sbcountystanddown.com. A comprehensive album of photos is available on the Stand Down Facebook page.