Open Door Mission hosts veterans banquet ahead of Veterans Day

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Open Door Mission brought veterans and volunteers together for a meal and a message of support ahead of Veterans Day.

Volunteers served more than 400 meals to veterans and the community at the mission’s annual Veterans’ Celebration Banquet.

Volunteers serve at annual banquet

For Air Force veteran Bob Tanner, serving with his Cub Scout troop is personal.

“It’s important for me as a veteran to bring my kids to these events because it teaches them how to serve something bigger than themselves,” Tanner said. “It’s the one thing that, as veterans, we all have done. We’ve served something bigger than ourselves.”

Tanner and Troop 463 were among dozens of volunteers at the banquet.

Mission recognizes veterans facing homelessness

For the mission, the banquet is a chance to recognize veterans, especially those facing homelessness.

“Veterans that face homelessness are uncelebrated,” Amy Harvey, Open Door Mission chief operating officer, said. “They have come back and not felt welcome, many of them. And they’re facing a lot of hard choices like everybody else. So, this is an opportunity for us just to celebrate them a little bit and let them know that we’re grateful for their service.”

Housing remains a challenge

Harvey said veterans facing homelessness deal with the rising cost of living every day, and the struggle does not stop there.

“Right now, it’s going to take longer to get people into housing, because housing is so limited,” Harvey said. “And that’s a real big struggle for veterans right now.”

Harvey said that is why events like the banquet matter.

“You see a lot in the world where people don’t care too much about the veterans and all that,” Tanner said. “And it’s good to get into a situation where you see that people care like this.”

How to give back

To find ways to give back to the community through Open Door Mission, visit opendoormission.org.