Michigan Military & Veterans Gala accepting award nominations through Sept. 22 
2024 Michigan Military & Veterans Gala — Nov. 2 Gala tickets are $45 and can be purchased at the 2024 Gala registration website. A maximum of 300 tickets will be sold for this adults-only event. A discounted block of hotel rooms is available at the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown. MVAA is accepting award nominations to be presented Saturday, Nov. 2, at the L.V. Eberhard Center in Grand Rapids during the 2024 Michigan Military & Veterans Gala through Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. Award categories: - 2024 Veteran of the Year
- Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency and Trust Fund Exceptional Service Award
- Veteran Friendly Volunteer of the Year
- Community Outreach and Regional Engagement (Core) Award
- Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Employee of the Year
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Employee of the Year
- Veteran Service Provider of the Year
Learn more about the awards and how to submit a nomination visit Michigan.gov/MVAA. Michigan veterans share their stories through Art for Honor program at ArtPrize |  The artworks of 27 talented veteran artists are on display during ArtPrize, through Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Veteran's Memorial Park in downtown Grand Rapids.
Art for Honor, a featured 2024 ArtPrize exhibition, provides a powerful platform for veterans to express themselves through art and storytelling. In partnership with Kent County Veterans Services, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency and Pamela Alderman Art, this initiative aims to connect veterans and the broader community by encouraging education and understanding through various artistic mediums, including paintings, sculptures, creative installations, and more. By showcasing the creativity and stories of veterans, Art for Honor seeks to promote dialogue, empathy and appreciation within the community. | Free mental health training for veterans and first responders 
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) has partnered with the Detroit VA Medical Center and Frontline Strong Together to host mental health focused training sessions for veterans who are first responders. REGISTER Upcoming training sessions: - Friday, Sept. 20, Dearborn, MI
- Monday, Sept. 23, Port Huron, MI
2024 Veterans Day teacher's resource guide now available for download 
As a new school year begins and Veterans Day nears, now is a great time to acknowledge those who fought and served in harm's way to preserve our freedom and the freedom of others. So that young Americans can better understand the sacrifice of veterans, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Day National Committee are pleased to present the 2024 Veterans Day Teacher's Resource Guide as a tool to assist educators in planning lessons and activities around Veterans Day. In addition to providing information on the contributions and sacrifices veterans have made throughout the years, the guide also includes student activities, scholarship information and ideas for projects and events that can be used thank veterans. Feel free to reproduce and share the guide in your school and community. For more information on Veterans Day, please visit Veterans Day website. Register for or sponsor the 2024 Michigan Women Veterans Conference — Oct 3-5 
Registration is now open for MVAA's third annual Women Veterans Conference. This year's event is being held October 3–5, at the Four Points by Sheraton Detroit Novi. We'll celebrate women who have served, those who are still serving, and people who fight for the rights of, care for, and otherwise support women veterans and service members across the Mitten. The conference will include dynamic speakers, interactive activities and opportunities to advocate for yourself and other women veterans. Once you register, the hotel reservation link will be sent in a separate email in 24-48 business hours. REGISTER Michigan residents can apply for Home Heating Tax Credit until Sept. 30 
Tax credits are not just for tax season. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan to encourage qualified Michigan residents to apply for the Home Heating Credit before the Monday, Sept. 30 deadline. This year, the average qualifying household received $180 in assistance, which is most often applied directly to residents' utility bills. Some energy providers automatically provide claimants a residential income assistance credit worth up to $20 monthly. Additionally, food assistance recipients receiving a Home Heating Credit of over $20 may be eligible for increased benefits. To qualify, Michigan residents must be either a renter with a contracted lease or a homeowner and meet income requirements. The best way to apply for the Home Heating Credit, and a number of other tax credits available to Michigan residents, is through one of the state's trusted, free tax preparation services. Free tax preparation is a community service designed to help Michiganders improve their financial well-being. Persons with disabilities, limited English-speaking ability, and those who earn less than $64,000 annually are qualified to use these services. Tax preparation providers are trained and certified volunteers. Residents can connect with their local free tax preparation site by calling 211 or visiting MichiganFreeTaxHelp.org. Local human services nonprofits, such as United Way and Community Action Agency, can also refer community members to a free tax preparation site. September is Tree Stand Safety Month Hunting from an elevated tree stand is a common way to hunt, but there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to staying safe. With many hunting seasons in Michigan opening in September – National Tree Stand Safety Awareness Month – it's the perfect time to brush up on what you need to know about hunting from a tree. A few things to remember: - Always maintain three points of contact (one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot) when climbing up to or down from the stand.
- Wear a full-body harness that is properly attached above your head.
- Ensure your tree stand is securely attached and stable before using it.
- Use a haul line to get your hunting gear to and from the stand.
Watch this short tree stand safety video for more tips. Tree stands placed on public land must be labeled with the hunter's information in legible English that can be easily read from the ground and include one of the following three options: the hunter's name and address, their driver's license number or their DNR Sportcard number. During every hunt, make safety your top priority. Need a refresher? The DNR's hunter education program teaches tree stand safety, firearm handling, first aid and other important skills. Visit Michigan.gov/HunterEducation to locate a hunter safety course in your area or read more tips on the hunting safety webpage. VA offers flu shots at drive through and walk in clinics beginning Sept. 16 
Beginning Monday, Sept. 16, flu vaccines are available at no-cost to eligible veterans though VA medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics, as well as through in-network community retail pharmacies and urgent care walk-in locations. Veterans are encouraged to get their no-cost flu shot to protect themselves, their families and the community from getting complications from the flu. Veterans unable to attend any of the VA drive through or walk in clinics can receive a flu vaccine from their PACT team provider at a regularly scheduled appointment or they can go to a community provider. Visit VA.gov/find-locations, enter your zip code, then click on community pharmacies to display options. Veterans should call ahead and confirm the community location offers no-cost flu shots to veterans through this VA benefit and make sure to follow through with all documentation requirements. To be eligible for a flu shot from a community provider, veterans must be enrolled in VA health care and have received care from either a VA provider or a member of VA's Community Care Network within the past 24 months. To check eligibility, veterans can call 800-MyVA411 (800-698-2411). The 2024/25 COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax) is expected soon. More details regarding the vaccine will be made available when doses are received. Learn more at Prevention.VA.gov/flu. Updated COVID-19 vaccine available and recommended for Michigan residents six months and older 
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is recommending residents get flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines to protect themselves and their communities against respiratory viruses during this upcoming fall and winter season. This recommendation follows the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendation for the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines. The updated vaccines are expected to provide protection against severe COVID-19 disease from currently circulating variants. The COVID-19 vaccine can be given with other vaccines, including flu and RSV vaccines. Respiratory infections are projected to cause millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths throughout the United States and Michigan this year. During the past two flu seasons,16 Michigan children died from influenza – the most recorded in any two-year span over the last 20 years. According to data from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry, seasonal flu vaccine coverage in Michiganders has decreased each year since the 2020-21 flu season. Coverage for the 2023-24 season was 26% overall, down from 34% in 2020-21. This combined with low COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Michiganders for the 2023-24 season (12.5%) is cause for concern. Getting vaccinated against these viruses helps contain the spread of respiratory viruses in communities and reduces severe illness and hospitalizations. To find a vaccine location near you, visit Vaccine Finder. To learn more about seasonal respiratory illnesses and how to protect yourself, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDFluRSV. | 
