By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A non-profit that serves veterans in Livingston County and across the state is continuing efforts to educate them about accessing benefits.

The Michigan Veteran non-profit VETLIFE is dedicated to educating Veterans about their benefits and ensuring they have specific guidance on how and where to access them. VETLIFE Co-Founder Joshua Parish said roughly 82% of Michigan Veterans have not used the federal benefits they’re entitled to, primarily due to not having adequate information regarding what’s available or where to find them. Parish says VETLIFE is determined to correct the situation so that guaranteed resources such as educational benefits, VA home loans, healthcare, and disability compensation can be fully utilized. One of the most underutilized Veteran benefits is said to be the VA Home Loan. Michigan is home to over 600,000 veterans, yet fewer than 12,000 Veterans used that benefit in 2019.

VETLIFE kicked off its Veteran Benefit Awareness Campaign this past March, consisting of 60-second educational videos that help Veterans understand the benefits they may be missing and how to connect with providers in their local county offices. Parish said they’re seeing increased veteran engagement throughout Michigan since then.

More information can be found in the attached press release.