On Saturday, Valor was back at the American Fire Company in Lansford to provide food, clothing and shelter for the homeless and others in need.

Volunteer Mike Meining said the event is called a “stand down.”

“?‘Stand down’ is military jargon; it’s when troops come in from the field. They can replenish their rations, take showers, get clean uniforms and then go back out into the field.”

Stand down events are not just for veterans; they help civilians, too. In Lansford, the garages had rows of boxes of shirts, jeans, socks, underwear, sneakers, boots, shoes, and hygiene items like soap, toothpaste, brushes, shampoo and deodorant.

A special part of this stand down event was backpacks with school supplies to give to the children who attended. If they are homeless, they have tents and sleeping bags, and a trailer full of supplies just for the veterans. The rest of the rows of boxes of items are for veterans and nonveterans.

In another part of the garage was a kitchen set up with food, plus other resources for veterans.

Valor holds stand down events at various locations in East Stroudsburg, Allentown, Easton, Bethlehem, Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre and Lansford. They also provide other resources for veterans in need, such as furniture and appliances, and they hold retreats for veterans to help them in dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

You can help Valor hold stand downs by donating food, clothing, money or your time as a volunteer to make these events possible.

Visit their website at ValorClinic.org.