NATION’S FINEST 50
COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM
Reaching Veterans. Sharing Stories. Honoring Heroes
As we mark 50 years of service, we continue our celebration of heroes in the Veteran community by bringing the Nation’s Finest 50 Community Awareness Program to communities across California, Nevada, and Arizona in support of Veterans and their families.
Nation’s Finest Community Awareness Program Aims to:
- Raise greater awareness about Veterans’ issues and link Veterans directly to local services and programs through our Mobile Service Units. These MSUs reach Veterans in rural communities who lack access to care.
- Honor local and national heroes who are making a difference in the lives of Veterans and their families. With our Nation’s Finest 50 Awards Traveling Exhibition, we’re sharing the impact and personal stories of heroes in communities across the nation.
WHY THIS IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT…
OVER
40,000
VETERANS ARE HOMELESS ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT
OVER
50%
STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
OVER
50%
ARE AGE 51 OR OLDER, COMPARED TO 19% NON-VETERAN
ON AVERAGE
16.8
VETERANS DIE BY SUICIDE PER DAY
VETERANS ARE AT A
57%
HIGHER RISK OF SUICIDE THAN THOSE WHO HAVEN’T SERVED
ABOUT
25%
OF VETERANS ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION
How is Nation’s Finest Extending its Community Outreach?
Veteran homelessness, Veteran mental health, and Veteran employment are critical issues that underscore the challenges faced by many who have served.. These interconnected concerns highlight the urgent need for comprehensive support systems to reintegrate our Veterans into civilian life. Here’s how our community outreach is spreading the word about what is being done to address these problems:
Nation’s Finest Mobile Services Units
Through the deployment of Mobile Service Units (MSUs), Nation’s Finest has created an innovative program to reach Veterans in rural areas of Arizona, California, and Nevada. These heroes have limited access to direct services and programs.
Each MSU goes directly into communities, staffed with trained team members and professionals, to guide Veterans to the support they need. As part of this important program, the MSUs are traveling to community events to raise awareness about the need to support Veterans and the programs offered by Nation’s Finest and its partners.
Nation’s Finest Awards Traveling Exhibition
At each awareness event, Nation’s Finest will bring its traveling Nation’s Finest 50 Awards exhibition to put on on public display, saluting 50 leaders from across the nation who have gone above and beyond to support veterans.
Created to mark Nation’s Finest’s 50th anniversary, the exhibition pays tribute and shares the stories of military Veterans, advocates, actors, musicians, philanthropists, leaders of nonprofit organizations, and community leaders who have made a difference.
Saluting Local Heroes
At each awareness event, Nation’s Finest will salute local heroes who have made a difference in their communities.
We will bring community leaders, the media, and advocates together to honor these heroes who continue their service to our nation today.
Thank You to Our Community Partners!
Schedule of Events
Connect with Nation’s Finest in a Community Near You!
More events are coming in 2024 – TBA
Past Events
National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week Community Event at the Capitol
September 12 | 9am – 1pm
West Steps, State Capitol, Sacramento
Ceremony Honoring Local Heroes: 10am
Join us September 12 in Sacramento from 9am to 1pm at the State Capitol for a special community event in conjunction with National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week. A Nation’s Finest Mobile Services Unit (MSU) will be on display, and attendees can connect with professionals while gathering information from community partner booths about crucial Veterans’ programs. We will also showcase the Nation’s Finest 50 Traveling Storytelling Exhibition. Don’t miss the 10am ceremony where community leaders will honor local and state veterans’ heroes!
Nation’s Finest 50 Storytelling Exhibition
September 12-30
Historic Weinstocks Building Window Fronts
1130 K Street, Sacramento
View and learn about the Nation’s Finest 50 local and national heroes, their personal stories, and inspiring work going above and beyond to help Veterans and their families.
Phoenix, Arizona State Capitol Kick-Off
October 17 | 9am – 1pm
Wesley Bolin Plaza
Arizona State Capitol, East Side
Join us October 17 in Phoenix from 9am to 1pm at the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, State Capitol East Side, for a community event aimed at raising greater awareness of Veterans’ issues in the State and to help link Veterans to programs and services available to them in their communities throughout Arizona. The event will feature one of our Nation’s Finest Mobile Services Units (MSU) with trained staff to provide resource information about Veteran programs, and also a beautiful Nation’s Finest storytelling exhibition that honors local and national heroes who have gone above and beyond to help our Veterans.
Don’t miss the 10am ceremony where we will honor local community leaders who are stepping up for Veterans and their families!
Bullhead City, Arizona
October 18 | 9am – 1pm
Veteran’s Memorial Eternal Flame Park
434 Whitewater Drive, Bullhead City
Join us October 18 in Bullhead City from 9am to 1pm at the Veterans Memorial Eternal Flame Park for a community event aimed at raising greater awareness of Veterans’ issues in the State and to help link Veterans to programs and services available to them in their communities throughout Arizona. The event will feature one of our Nation’s Finest Mobile Services Units (MSU) with trained staff to provide resource information about Veteran programs, and also a beautiful Nation’s Finest storytelling exhibition that honors local and national heroes who have gone above and beyond to help our Veterans.
Don’t miss the 10am ceremony where we will honor local community leaders who are stepping up for Veterans and their families!
Veterans Day Event at the Charles Schulz Museum, Santa Rosa
November 10
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Charles Schulz Museum
2301 Hardies Ln, Santa Rosa
Enjoy FREE admission all day to the Schulz Museum and special activities in honor of Veterans everywhere:
- At 11:00 am, join us for a ceremony dedicating a plaque in honor of Charles M. Schulz’s WWII service in the 20th Armored Division, with the presentation of colors from the United States Coast Guard Training Center Petaluma Honor Guard, performances by Maria Carillo High School Jazz Choir, and special speakers, including Jean Schulz.
- At 11:30 am, look for military planes overhead flown by pilots Dane Jasper, Lynn Hunt, and Will Whiteside (weather permitting).
- Afterward, join the Pacific Coast Air Museum for a display of military vehicles and oral histories, and Nation’s Finest as we recognize leaders within the community who are making a difference for Veterans and their families.
OUR LOCAL HEROES
SACRAMENTO
PHOENIX
BULLHEAD CITY
SANTA ROSA
Help us Reach Veterans and Share Their Stories
Community outreach is essential to fostering widespread knowledge of Veterans’ issues and reaching Veterans in need. Through partnerships and help from supporters like you, Nation’s Finest is able to provide Veterans and their families with critical programs and services.
Make a difference today by donating to Nation’s Finest! Your contribution fuels our Community Awareness Program and helps ensure no Veteran is left behind. Together, we can build a stronger, more connected future for those who have served our nation and earned our support.
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