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James Burgess for Ashburn City Council

Area 5 of 8 · Commitments 5.1–5.4

Our Elders and Veterans

They shouldn't feel forgotten in a city they built.

4Commitments
1Start in 90 days
1I can do alone

The problem

People who spent their lives working, raising us, and holding these churches and schools together should not feel forgotten in the town they built. Veterans shouldn't have to navigate the VA alone. And isolation here is something we don't talk about.

What the city actually controls

Communication, community space, programming, and whether these groups get treated as partners or as a photo opportunity.

Most of what our veterans are owed goes unclaimed because the paperwork is the barrier, not the eligibility.

The commitments

5.1 – 5.4

Every one with a how attached, a label saying who has to agree, and where it applies, something countable you can hold me to.

  1. 5.1

    One Person, One Page, One List for Veterans

    A single point of contact connecting local veterans to benefits, healthcare enrollment, housing programs, and the Georgia Department of Veterans Service office serving this region.

    Hold me to this
    Published within 90 days.
    First 90 daysI can do this alone
  2. 5.2

    A City Update That Reaches Everybody

    One printed page mailed with the water bill — it already reaches every household at no extra postage. Copies at the churches, the ag center, and City Hall. The residents most affected by city decisions are often the least likely to hear about them online.

    Hold me to this
    Operating within the first year, every month after that.
    First yearNeeds a council vote
  3. 5.3

    Somewhere to Be, not Just Somewhere to Live

    Regular programming at the community center — meals, cards, health screenings, exercise appropriate for older bodies, plus the walking path. Partner with the churches, who already know who's shut in.

    Hold me to this
    A published monthly calendar within two years.
    Years 2–4Needs a partner
  4. 5.4

    Veterans Mentoring our Young People

    Recruit them into the youth resource center. Costs nothing and serves both groups at once. Their discipline and leadership are exactly what our young people need to see up close.

    Hold me to this
    At least three veterans placed as mentors within two years.
    First yearNeeds a partner

52 commitments across 8 areas.

Paid for by James Burgess