Department of Maryland Commander David Heredia’s new initiative is promoting Be the One while creating outreach and fundraising opportunities, and providing services to veterans and their families.
As senior vice commander from 2023 to 2024, American Legion Department of Maryland Commander David Heredia looked at different ways to promote the organization. Those efforts helped the department reach 100-percent membership for the first time since 2001.
When he was elected department commander last summer, Heredia’s focus narrowed to improved community engagement. He made fundraising for the department’s Veterans Assistance & Rehabilitation (VA&R) program a priority, noting that VA&R is all about engagement as well.
To improve that engagement, Heredia developed a new program this year: the Patriot Social Hour. Members of the department’s Legion Family meet up at an area restaurant for a few hours to enjoy camaraderie amongst both themselves and members of the community, who also are invited to attend.
Heredia pitched the idea in November to the department; the first Patriot Social Hour took place in January of this year. “It’s more than just a gathering,” said Heredia, a member of Bernard L. Tobin Post 128 in Aberdeen. “It’s a mission-driven outreach to bring The American Legion directly to the community and create an informal welcoming space for veterans and their families, and non-veterans alike, to come together, talk and build relationships. And so far, it’s been very successful.”
Different venues are chosen for each event. The American Legion region in the area is invited to bring signage to display at each Patriot Social Hour; the Northern Central Region’s sign includes Be the One messaging.
“That (sign) is the one I like to focus on,” Heredia said. “My project, VA&R, is lockstep with the Be the One mission. It allows us to converse on many levels.”
But it’s not just about social time. There is a service side to Patriot Social Hour. Heredia said Assistant Department Service Officer Williams Brown III has been on hand each time to assist veterans with their benefits questions. At the last Patriot Social Hour earlier this month, Brown was able to open four new claims.
“To bring the VSO is important because there are over 350,000 veterans in Maryland,” Heredia said. “There are a lot of veterans out there that need somebody to speak on their behalf. By bringing (a service officer), I’ve found a lot of veterans who have not submitted their claims. And even during my travels throughout the state, I’ve found veterans always starving for assistance for their claims.
“So I said if we’re going to do a Patriot Social Hour, we’re going to promote the VA&R project, we’re going to promote Be the One, and I need to have our VSO there for that one-in-a-million chance there’s a veteran out there that needs assistance with their claim or has never started their claim. Or even yet, a family member of a deceased who has questions about how they can continue to receive those benefits that are due to them through their loved one.”
Heredia said the events have also resulted in between six and 15 new members signed into the Legion Family at each location. “The intent has worked,” he said. “We’ve piqued the interest of the community to know what The American Legion is. And that was the intent behind this.
“When I first threw this idea out, people were like, ‘Well, let’s do it at a Legion post.’ I said, ‘No, we can’t. I don’t care if it fails the first time or the second time or the third time. Eventually, the word will get out, and it will be successful.’”
Around 100 people showed up for the first Patriot Social Hour, and the momentum has continued to grow. And at each venue, the host establishment returns between 15 to 20 percent of the proceeds from the night’s sales to Heredia’s VA&R project. Donations are also made at each Patriot Social Hour, along with a basket raffle and 50-50 drawing.
Those efforts have helped Heredia raise nearly $150,000 already for the fund that will assist veterans and their families in multiple ways:
· Supporting VA medical centers throughout Maryland with vital resources and volunteer support.
· Providing emergency financial assistance to veterans and their families during times of crisis.
· Expanding outreach efforts to reach underserved and at-risk veterans.
· Enhancing access to mental health and wellness services, in alignment with the Be The One suicide prevention campaign.
· Training veteran service officers (VSOs) and resource officers to ensure expediting the VA claims process in partnership with fellow veteran service organizations and the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs.
· Supporting family members who are often the unseen heroes in the care and transition of veterans.
Seeing the Patriot Social Hour get off to the start it did and then continue to grow “made me feel good,” Heredia said. “It’s about getting the mission across about why we do what we do. As Past National Commander (Daniel) Seehafer said, it’s being a servant leader. Serving the community and those in need.
“It was an unexpected success, but a great one. And one that we’re going to continue to do.”
- Be the One