NISC Programs of Excellence
- Year Awarded: 2023
- Programs of Excellence Name: Veterans Coffee Club
- Hosting Organization: Muncie/Delaware County Senior Citizen Center, Indiana
- Muncie Population: 573,849
- 60+ Population: 114,769
- Senior Center Members: 600
About the Veterans Coffee Club
The Muncie/Delaware County Senior Citizens Center created a special military suicide prevention program, supported by the VA Delaware County Indiana. The goal: not only to create and design a program to help prevent miltary suicides, but to develop, with the cooperation of the VA, a suicide prevention program that can be introduced to the 10,000+ senior centers cross the country.
The senior center has many veterans attending, and concern over the staggering rate of military suicides prompted the design of the Veterans Coffee Club. The plan was to create a situation and area where veterans could talk and fellowship with other veterans.
To establish and try a pilot program, the center made a room available, and with 100% support from the VA ,set out to create and supply everything and establish an atmosphere where veterans felt at ease. This was achieved by creating a room designed for them including all the defense force flags. Next, the center supplied donuts, coffee and other drinks. Center staff supervised the room so no civilians could enter, just veterans, with no concern for age, gender, age serving or not serving. Then the program was tried out over several months until the Veterans Coffee Club was locked into the first Saturday of every month.
The center does not question a veteran's personal situation, and does not ask or do anything to identify homeless veterans—that is why the center offers everything free of charge. The center supplies food, toiletries, coffee, and other drinks. The center has supplies available during the week for veterans including grocery items with absolutely no questions asked except requiring members of the Coffee Club and walk-ins to the center show a military ID.
The program started out with four veterans from the center, and there now are 237 registered members with 101 attending a recent gathering. A "wives support group" meets at the same time for those veterans who will only attend if their wife goes, and for Gold Star and Blue Star wives. The program continues to grow, with a club established in Anderson, Indiana, and two more clubs in the works: one in Marion, and one in New Castle.
All these efforts aim to find a way to reach veterans where they are, not just reach out and hope they come get help. Many did not know of the senior center until the center developed the Veterans Coffee Club. Typical attendance is80 - 100 veterans the first Saturday of every month. Several of the veterans now attend programs at the senior center on a regular basis.
Key takeaways from the Veterans Coffee Club:
- Some key to success: a retired veteran as programs administrator, volunteers to distribute food, and local businesses to donate food and drinks.
- If just one veteran chooses not to commit suicide, we win.
- Targeted programs can expand senior center reach.
About the Muncie/Delaware County Senior Citizen Center
The Muncie/Delaware County Senior Citizen Center's mission "to improve the quality of life for all persons 55 years of age and older in Delaware County and the surrounding areas by providing them with educational classes, recreation, health and nutrition opportunities, and social activities and services."
