United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Philadelphia VA Regional Office & Insurance Center (VAROIC)

VAROIC in the Community

Employees of the VA Regional Office and Insurance Center are committed to serving the community, and the VAROIC sponsors several community events, and employs a a full time Homeless Veterans Outreach Coordinator.

Valentines for Vets
The Philadelphia Regional Office and Insurance Center is a major supporter of the nationwide Valentine for Vets program, to bring cheer to hospitalized veterans during the month of February.  We collect cards, artwork and well wishes from employees and their children and distribute them to Veterans hospitalized at our area medical centers.

Aid for Friends
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.

Philadelphia Stand Down
Since 1993, the Philadelphia Regional Office and Insurance Center  (ROIC) has been one of the main supporters of Philadelphia Stand Down, a three-day event for homeless and indigent veterans.  Stand Down is set up as a tent city in an open field where Veterans are given medical and dental care, food, clothing, haircuts, and the opportunity to meet with many service providers—both governmental and private—to avail themselves of the services that these organizations offer.  The ROIC issues photo ID cards at Stand Down, and assists Veterans in filing for VA benefits, such as disability and pension.  Philadelphia Stand Down is one of the largest in the country.  It regularly services each year between 350 and 400 Veterans, some with families.

Martin Luther King Day of Service

The Philadelphia VAROIC participates in the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service program, which is observed on the Federal holiday.  Employee volunteers go to the Philadelphia Nursing Home taking donations from the employees at the office, refreshments, holding trivia contests, sing alongs with the patients and bingo.  An outgrowth of this initiative was to increase the number of visits to 3 times a year.  Employees now also visit in the summer and on Veteran's Day.  As new employees begin their careers at the Philadelphia VAROIC they are welcomed to participate for a rewarding act of service to our veterans.

Combined Federal Campaign
VA Employees participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), which is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, The CFC helps to raise millions of dollars for local, national and international charities each year. Our employees continuously exceed the dollar goal for CFC donations. Follow this link for more information about the Combined Federal Campaign.

Outreach to Homeless Veterans
The Philadelphia Regional Office and Insurance Center (ROIC) is one of twenty regional offices with a full-time homeless Veterans coordinator.  Our coordinator conducts outreach daily to homeless and indigent Veterans, assisting them in filing for VA disability and pension, and referring them for medical care and supportive housing services. He is based one day a week at the Veterans Multi-Service Center, a non-profit organization in Center City Philadelphia that receives VA funding to service homeless veterans.  He also collaborates with the social workers at the VA medical centers and domiciliary to provide a holistic approach to overcoming the issues causing a Veteran to be homeless.