A new year has brought with it an expansion in services for military veterans in the area.

  The Veterans Support Group in McDonough recently unveiled its new facility, in downtown McDonough.

  Chief Executive Officer, Bob Van Dunk, said the new location is one of several developments that 2018 brought with it, to enable the group to meet the needs of veterans more effectively.

  “We moved from Racetrack Road to 32 Jonesboro St., and that was a big move for us,” said Van Dunk. “It gave us more room to operate, and we serve more veterans now.”

  The group, a 501(c)(3) organization, helps veterans from all military branches, at no charge, with service-related claims, housing and other concerns. The organization also recently began providing breakfast for veterans every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

  Van Dunk said he and his fellow members are working to spread the word to all veterans about the breakfast offering.

  “We have it set up for our homeless vets, but any veteran who is here can have breakfast with us,” he said.

  Jim Dunn is the chief operating officer of the group, which serves approximately 500 veterans each year. He agreed with Van Dunk that their new facility will help to boost that number in 2019.

  “Now that we’re up and running, we’re looking to serve 500 to 1,000 veterans,” said Dunn.

  The group launched a food pantry on January 11, with a grand opening scheduled for January 25 from 11 a.m., to 3 p.m. Dunn emphasized that the 120-square-foot clothes closet – a storage shed behind the group’s main facility – is designed to provide clothes to veterans only, at no cost.

  “There’s more clothes in there than the law allows, and we’re waiting for people to come and get them,” said Dunn.

  Veterans Support Group Volunteer Coordinator, Christopher Smith, said most of the items housed in the clothes closet are brand-new. He said that when the group takes donations of clothes, they typically specify that items should be suitable for a person to wear to a job interview.

  Smith said the community has responded well to the clothes closet and other services provided by the group.

  “We’ve had people donate these clothes to us, and all the services are free to the veterans,” said Smith.

  He added that anyone who is interested in volunteering with the group can visit the group’s website at www.vetsg.org.

  “You can sign yourself up for the day that you want to come in and volunteer,” said Smith.   For more information, call 770-284-3306.