VA New England Healthcare System

Veterans visit an outreach table at Eastern States Exposition in 2019. This year, VA New England Healthcare System will support 10 major events and attend more than 150 events across the region. At each event, an outreach specialist or team will assist Veterans with connecting to Veteran benefits and help eligible Veterans with applying for VA health care.

The 2020 outreach calendar for New England Veterans kicks off this weekend with the Boston RV & Camping Expo.

Military Day is Friday, Jan. 24. Military members will receive free admission to the show with appropriate military or Veteran identification. 

The VA New England Healthcare System will have outreach specialists at the expo’s exhibit area at the Boston Convention Center to meet with Veterans and help answer questions about VA benefits.  The specialists can assist Veterans with applying for VA health care.  To help determine eligibility for benefits, Veterans should bring a copy of their DD Form 214, “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.”

The expo is the largest RV and camping expo in New England.  The show hours are Friday, Jan. 24, from 4 to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The convention center is located at 415 Summer Street in Boston.

In addition to the expo, the VA New England Healthcare System will support 9 additional major events with events in every New England state.

Veterans meet with VA outreach specialists at a VA New England supported outreach event in 2019. At outreach events, Veterans have an opportunity to apply for VA health care and to ask questions about their eligibility for VA benefits.

This is the current 2020 event list -- please check back for updates or cancellations:

Boston RV & Camping Expo, Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Boston, MA, Jan. 24-26, https://bostonrvexpo.com

Connecticut Fishing & Outdoor Show, Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT, Feb. 14-16, https://ctfishingoutdoorshow.com

Northeast Hunting & Fishing Show, Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT, March 20-22, https://fishinghuntingshow.com (EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS)

New England Saltwater Fishing Show, Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI, March 27-29, https://www.nesaltwatershow.com (EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS)

Laconia Motorcycle Week, Laconia, NH, June 13-21, http://laconiamcweek.com

NASCAR, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, NH, July 16-19, https://www.nhms.com

Marshfield Fair, Marshfield, MA, Aug. 21-30, https://marshfieldfair.org

Champlain Valley Fair Military Appreciation Day, Essex Junction, VT, Sept. 4, https://champlainvalleyfair.org

The Big E Military Appreciation Day, Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield, MA, Sept. 18, https://www.thebige.com

The Durham Fair, Durham, CT, Sept. 24-27, https://www.durhamfair.com

VA New England’s outreach team leads, coordinates and conducts an outreach program to increase Veterans’ awareness of VA health care and to Veterans apply for care and other VA benefits. 

In addition to the list of major events, VA New England’s outreach team expects to support another 150 outreach events and more than 500 outreach activities this year.  These include small community gatherings to large conferences and regional celebrations.  

At all of these events, there are opportunities for Veterans to apply for VA health care and to learn about VA benefits. 

To find out about other outreach events in your area, connect with our VA New England outreach team:

            Jim Christie, VA Maine and Manchester VA Medical Center, james.christie2@va.gov

            Orville Grizzle, VA Connecticut, orville.grizzle@va.gov

            Kyle Toto, VA Providence, VA Boston and VA Central Western Massachusetts, kyle.toto@va.gov

            Dana Castagneto, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital (VA Bedford) and White River Junction VA Medical Center, dana.castagneto@va.gov