Stand Down, an annual event that provides shelter and services for homeless veterans in San Diego, is scheduled to begin Friday.
Homeless veterans at the 28th Stand Down will receive food, clothing, showers, medical and dental care over the next three days on the upper athletic fields at San Diego High School.
They will also be able to take advantage of a special court for the homeless, recovery services, employment referrals, counseling and chaplain services. A count of the region's homeless in January found that 15.4 percent had once served in the military, out of a total of more than 8,700 people living on the streets or in shelters.
Since the Veterans Village of San Diego started Stand Down in 1988, it has spread around the country — with around 200 events annually, according to the organization.
Last year, nearly 900 veterans were served at San Diego's Stand Down. The VVSD reported the number of individual men who were served declined from past years, but the count of families in need of services was higher.
