Newton Mayor, Lt. Governor Open 'First of its Kind' Veterans Center

Local and state officials recently joined Mayor Setti Warren for the launch of a new Veterans Center at American Legion Post 440 in Newton. 

The regional center aims to give veterans of all generations and branches of service a "one-stop location" for information on education, job opportunities, housing, childcare, taxes, finances and health advice, according to a press release issued by the mayor's office. 

The center will also offer a place for local vets to network and socialize.

“When I became mayor, I knew that we had to find new and creative ways to reach out to the roughly 7,000 veterans living in our community and ensure that they have access to quality services,” Warren, an Iraq War veteran, said in a statement. “In collaboration with the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, we created a new model to reach and serve veterans in our region.”

The celebration to mark the center's opening was held on Wednesday, March 13. 

Along with Warren, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray, State Rep. Kay Khan, Iraq War veteran and State Senator Mike Rush, and Secretary of Veterans Services Coleman Nee attended the center's opening. 

"Massachusetts is a leader in providing veterans' services thanks to the strong partnership between the state's Department of Veterans' Services and municipalities," Murray said in the press release. "The opening of the Newton Veterans Center is a great model for interagency collaboration within local government, bringing together critical resources to support the men and women of Newton who have proudly served our country."

As part of the grand opening on March 13 the center partnered with Employment & Training Resources to host a job fair for local veterans that featured more than 30 employers. 

The center does yet have any regular, daily hours, but will be hosting a number of veterans-related events in the coming weeks and months, including:

• Sat., April 6: Socializing and drop-in services, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Tues., May 7: Grand opening, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

For more information on the center, call 617-796-1420.