VetsMeetVets is uniting the communities around Tacoma to assist our homeless Veterans survive a rough winter with its 1st annual Homeless Veteran Clothing Drive on Dec. 10 and 11.

Rod Wittmier, an Army Veteran, created VetsMeetVets in 2009 with the mission to end veteran suicide in the nation (currently at 1 every 80 minutes or 18 / day or 6,570 per year).

"We have studied the disconnect that happens to our veterans on the spiral that ends in suicide and are working proactively to stop that spiral," Wittmier said in release. "Recently we joined forces with the VA in its mission to end Veteran Homelessness within five years. VMV Homeless Veteran Liaisons do the outreach to bring our homeless Veterans to the services of shelters and the VA itself."

VetsMeetVets has joined forces with a local movement called "Blankets for Hope" which is an alliance with Insight School of WA, IQ Academy of WA and the Council for the Homeless to create events on Dec 11 to gather items such as blankets, sleeping bags, coats, hats, gloves/mittens, NEW socks and NEW undergarments, small tarps and single-use hand warmers for our homeless.  Alliance partners are working from Bellevue to Vancouver with VetsMeetVets adding a Veteran focus and covering the Tacoma area with two events; Friday Dec 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Tacoma Dome parking area (with the 'Toys for Tots' team) and Saturday Dec 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Tacoma Mall parking area (near Krispy Kreme).

VetsMeetVets welcomes individuals, organizations and community leaders to join them in this great cause.  Together we can be proactive in the lives of our returning heroes to prevent them from disconnecting from their families, communities and life itself.

For more information on events or how to get involved, call (253) 861-7100 or visit www.VetsMeetVets.org.