Supermarket of Veterans Benefits Comes To Canton

Photo credit: 2013 Supermarket of Veterans Benefits held in Savannah. Credit: Georgia Department of Veterans Services’ Facebook page

The Georgia Department of Veterans Services has chosen Canton as the next location for its signature annual event.

The Supermarket of Veterans Benefits will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Conference Center in Canton, the agency said in a press release.

It will be the first time the event will come to Canton, and Mayor Gene Hobgood on Thursday, Nov. 20 will issue a proclamation declaring Dec. 3 as Supermarket of Veterans Benefits Day. Hobgood will issue the proclamation during the Canton City Council’s meeting, which starts at 6 p.m.

The Supermarket brings together representatives from federal, state and local government agencies to provide a “one-stop shop” for veterans benefits information.

“There are many agencies that provide benefits and services to veterans, and this is a great opportunity for veterans to learn about all of them in one day,” said GDVS Commissioner Pete Wheeler. “Since we began this program in 1966, thousands of veterans and their families have benefited, and we are pleased to bring this history of success to Canton.”

In addition to the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, some of the other agencies represented will include the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Military Retirement Services; the Social Security Administration; TRICARE; Small Business Administration; the Georgia Department of Driver Services; the Georgia and U.S. Departments of Labor; Rehab Services of the Georgia Department of Human Resources; and representatives of state and federal medical facilities.

The event will include a health fair provided by medical personnel from the Veterans Health Administration. Free medical screenings and seasonal flu shots will be available.

The state of Georgia offers free assistance to veterans through the Georgia Department of Veterans Service (GDVS), the state government agency established for the purpose of advising, counseling, and assisting veterans and their families in receiving their earned benefits under the vast, frequently changing, and complex framework of veterans’ laws.

At the local level, GDVS operates a field service office in Canton, serving veterans in Cherokee, Gilmer and Pickens counties.

The office is managed by Rita Barnhart, an experienced veterans field service officer, and is located at 100 North Street in downtown Canton.

Call 770-720-3538 or email rbarnhart@cherokeega.com for assistance.