TULSA, Okla. — In a significant move to support veterans in the state, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law the formation of the Oklahoma Veterans Foundation.
This new foundation aims to bridge service gaps for veterans by providing additional resources that the state and federal programs cannot fully address.
Mark Morgan, the community executive liaison for Oklahoma Veterans United, reflected on his transition from military service to advocacy.
"It’s not so much what you’re fighting against; it’s who you’re fighting for," Morgan said.
Morgan, who has served in various locations including Fort Bragg, Fort Sam Houston, Fort Lee, Germany, and Japan, is dedicated to connecting veterans with essential services provided by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA).
The ODVA offers healthcare, home-buying assistance, educational programs, and more. However, it has limitations in funding for urgent needs such as vehicle repairs, dental procedures, or HVAC maintenance.
2 News asked Morgan how the new foundation can best serve veterans.
"Address those other gaps that happen. Life happens to all of us, and veterans have those things, and this foundation, my understanding, makes perfect sense … it will give ODVA and the vet commission more opportunity to serve veterans," Morgan said.
The newly formed Oklahoma Veterans Foundation will accept private donations, allowing for greater flexibility in funding compared to traditional government resources.
Daron Hoggatt, spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, confirmed the foundation’s potential to enhance existing programs.
"We wanna make sure this is very impactful for the veterans. We can use funds for different things that we didn’t always have available because of state and federal funding. So, this donation-type foundation … will be able to open up a whole bunch of doors to help out veterans," Hoggatt said.
Morgan reminds veterans to seek assistance from various resources available to them, including Oklahoma Veterans United and local connections.
"Veterans, we’re a proud group, we’re proud to have served everything else,” Morgan said, “While that makes perfect sense in terms of serving our country, we don’t do a very good job of asking for assistance when we need it. This foundation is another opportunity to be able to serve veterans when they need help.”
The bill takes immediate effect; however, according to Hoggat, the foundation is still in its infancy, with many more details yet to be finalized.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
