United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Philadelphia VA Regional Office & Insurance Center (VAROIC)

VA Center Employee's Association (VACEA)

The VA Center Employee's Association (VACEA) enjoys virtually universal employee participation. The mission of the VACEA is to improve morale, provide financial assistance, sponsor cultural, recreational and athletic activities and to engage in charitable and public relations programs.

Charitable Contributions

The VACEA earmarks a portion of its annual budget for charitable contributions. This year, in response to the recent devastating events in Haiti, a donation of $1,200 was made to the Red Cross in support of Haiti Relief and Development. The VACEA also sponsors several community projects, most notably the Underprivileged Youth Holiday Party. Each year our employees entertain and give gifts to orphans and disadvantaged children at a gala holiday party in the cafeteria. This past year, $1, 100 was spent on the party, which was attended by 50 children. Monetary donations as well as money raised from selling pretzels and baked goods helped provide food, beverages, entertainment, transportation, and some 185 gifts for the children and mothers from a homeless shelter. In addition, the station “adopted” the families of 2 homeless veterans for the purposes of Holiday gift giving.

The Association has established a Bob Carey Employee Assistance Fund, which provides financial assistance in emergencies to VA employees. The Association has also provided funding to the Academy for Early Learning and to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Recreational Activities

Throughout the year the association hosts sports events that include a golf outing, golf league, softball league, and bowling league. They also offer trips to an outlet shopping center and Dorney Park. Other benefits of the association include discounted tickets to the Philadelphia Home Show and Philadelphia Auto Show. Employees enjoy a discounted catered Thanksgiving luncheon and participate in raffles with generous prizes hosted by the association.   With an emphasis on our Veterans, the employee association participates in Vets serving Vets which annually honors the Veterans that work within the Regional Office.

Volunteer Activities

We offer a volunteer activity through the organization Aid for Friends whose mission is to serve needy, isolated shut-ins, primarily the frail elderly, in the 5 county Greater Philadelphia area, with free daily home-cooked meals delivered weekly by empathetic volunteer visitors, and also to provide shut-ins with free out reach services.