JONESTOWN, PA — Governor Josh Shapiro and Adjutant General John Pippy officially opened Pennsylvania’s first state-funded Veterans’ Outreach Center last week in Lickdale, marking a significant step toward improving services for the Commonwealth’s nearly 700,000 veterans.
The Lickdale Veterans’ Outreach Center, which began serving the public on June 3, offers walk-in access to a comprehensive range of resources under one roof. This initiative underscores the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to making support more accessible for veterans, including the more than 80,000 who reside in Lebanon County and surrounding regions.
“Our veterans have sacrificed for us, serving our nation to defend our freedoms — and they deserve a Commonwealth that cares for and invests in them,” said Governor Shapiro during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. He emphasized that the center is part of a broader effort to provide veterans with easier access to benefits, services, and care.
The new center features accredited service officers to assist veterans in navigating benefits, private meeting spaces, and conference rooms designed for training and community programs. Open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the facility also houses partners such as CareerLink, creating a centralized, collaborative support network.
Adjutant General Pippy highlighted the center’s importance in bringing together federal, state, and community resources to help veterans address complex challenges and access the benefits they have earned.
As more veterans seek assistance in light of recent federal policy changes, including the PACT Act, the center’s staff are prepared to guide individuals through updated eligibility processes and help locate necessary military records.
The Lickdale facility is the first in a series of planned regional outreach hubs aimed at strengthening Pennsylvania’s veteran support infrastructure and ensuring no veteran is left behind.
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