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Stand Down is a nationwide program that improves the delivery of services to homeless and near-homeless individuals by coordinating the existing fragmented human services system. By bringing together, in one site, a range of public and private services, Stand Down events provide information and assistance to homeless individuals to help them transition from the streets and shelters back into their communities.
Stand Down provides access to basic health, legal, financial, housing, employment,
training, social services and veterans' benefits. The idea of
Stand Down was conceived to target homeless veterans. Many communities
have adapted this idea to serve all homeless individuals.
 
Stand Down is designed to transform the despair and immobility of homelessness into the momentum necessary to get into recovery, to resolve legal issues, to seek employment, to access health services and benefits, to reconnect with the community and get off the street. Primary emphasis will be on providing an environment win which all homeless are treated with respect, given support and afforded the opportunity form ties with peers and volunteers while receiving much needed services. The Stand Down is not in itself a solution, but rather, an opportunity for homeless persons to begin the process of regaining self-esteem and hope to build a better future.
 
 
Stand Down Austin hosted its first daylong event in September
2000 for all homeless individuals, both veterans and non-veterans.
This Stand Down served 226 homeless citizens of which 64 were
veterans. In 2005, inclusive of 125 veterans, 532 homeless persons
received services at Stand Down.
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