Manatee County veterans service office is moving to a new location
Beginning in June, the Manatee County Veterans Service will be moving to a recently renovated one-story facility in downtown Bradenton at 305 15th St W.
The offices are currently located in the Manatee County Administrative building.
The new offices will provide easier access for veterans who reside in Manatee County, especially those with physical limitations. Veterans Services counselors provide one-on-one meetings with veterans to help them navigate through what is often a complicated benefits process.
The ADA-compliant facility will include private meeting areas, conference rooms and on-site parking, including disabled and Purple Heart parking spaces. The facility also will provide a place for the team members to conduct annual benefits seminars, which are normally held during April and provide a summary of VA disability compensation, low-income and long-term pensions, burial benefits and local VA health care.
Lee Washington, county veterans services officer, said he hopes the new office location will help reach more of the 40,000 veterans who live in Manatee County. Currently, an average of 14,000 residents a year contact the division for assistance. About 10,000 veterans and 5,000 surviving dependents have filed claims.
“We are excited for this move, as it has been a longtime coming and should help us serve a heavier volume of veterans and survivors who are in great need of these services. We want to thank county administration, Board of County Commissioners and a special thank you to the Property Management Department staff for making this a reality,” Washington said.
A virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony, which is planned to be shown as a Facebook Live event, is scheduled to take place outside of the offices 12:30-1:30 p.m. Friday. Veterans Services has invited county commissioners to participate and Commissioner Reggie Bellamy and a few Manatee County employees — all of whom are veterans — to speak. The county will adhere to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.
A grand opening of the new facility also is in the works, said Ava Ehde, Neighborhood Services Department director.
“We look forward to a future on-site celebration where we can celebrate our amazing veterans in person and hope to determine a date soon,” Ehde said.
To watch the live Facebook virtual ribbon-cutting event on Friday, go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2002281396582993/.
Manatee veterans or dependent or survivors can connect by calling 941-749-3030 or going to mymanatee.org/veterans. There is no fee or cost for services or the submission of a claim for VA benefits, as this has been paid in full by having served in the military.
In addition to the downtown location, Veterans Services also has an Ellenton location at 5030 U.S. Hwy. 301 N. Ellenton and plans to expand its hours of operations from two days a week to daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment.
