Press Release  Executive Office of Veterans Services Hosts First-Ever New England VA 1-on-1 Expo to Provide Personalized Assistance to Veterans

Foxborough — The Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Kraft Group, proudly hosted the first-ever New England VA 1-on-1 Expo at Gillette Stadium. The groundbreaking event, attended by Margaret Kabat, Chief of Staff for the Department of Veterans Affairs, connected more than 600 veterans with personalized support and essential services, marking the highest attendance of any single-day VA 1-on-1 Expo to date. 

The New England VA 1-on-1 Expo is part of a nationwide series of events, formerly known as Veterans Experience Action Centers (VEACs), designed to provide veterans and their families with immediate access to state and federal resources. This collaborative effort brought together representatives from the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, National Cemetery Administration, Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and community partners to offer one-on-one assistance in areas such as VA health care, benefits enrollment, crisis support, and peer-to-peer connections. While the VA has previously hosted 42 such expos across the United States, this was the first event held in New England, with a record-breaking attendance and performance reviews.

“Our goal is to ensure that every veteran feels seen, heard, and supported,” said Jon Santiago, Secretary of the Executive Office of Veterans Services. “This event has exemplified the power of community partnership in serving those who have served us, and we are incredibly proud of the record-breaking turnout.”

“It truly has been an honor to be able to host such a wonderful event at Gillette Stadium, honoring and supporting a veterans caregivers family members out in your community,” said Ena Lima, Executive Director, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “The partnership between the VA and our community partners has been outstanding and made this event. We’re so grateful for the opportunity to be able to serve out in our community in these one and one modes and be able to support over 600 veterans.”

One-on-One Assistance for Veterans' Needs

Throughout the day, veterans received personalized help with enrolling in VA health care, understanding their eligibility, obtaining toxic exposure information, accessing VA education benefits, and submitting or checking the status of disability claims. Additional services included guidance on income benefits for wartime veterans and survivors, career assistance, VA burial information, and housing support.

Commitment to Quality Care

The event follows recent announcements from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) highlighting the exceptional performance of VA hospitals in two independent, nationwide reviews. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings, 79 percent of VA facilities received a 4- or 5-star rating, compared to only 40 percent of non-VA hospitals. Additionally, the latest CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings revealed that over 58 percent of VA hospitals received 4- or 5-star ratings. Veteran trust in VA outpatient care has reached a record high of 92 percent, reflecting the impact of recent efforts to increase access, reduce wait times, and ensure the highest quality of care.

For more information on upcoming events or to learn how to access veteran benefits and services, visit Executive Office of Veterans Services | Mass.gov.

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