Historic Navy Base Exchange in Long Beach Renovated, Renamed and Reopened to Serve Today's Veterans

Online, December 10, 2009 (Newswire.com) - U.S.Vets and Villages of Cabrillo opened the newly renovated historic Cabrillo/Savannah Housing Navy Exchange store recently in Long Beach, California. The Exchange was renamed Knabe Exchange in honor of Los Angeles County Supervisor of the 4th District Don Knabe, who is a Navy Veteran and currently chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

"The previous kitchen facilities were completely inadequate," said Supervisor Knabe, who contributed $800,000 in capital project funds to construct the kitchen. "Our Veterans, particularly those most in need, deserve better and now they have it with this new kitchen."

Dwight Radcliff, president and CEO of U.S.Vets and an Air Force veteran, stated, "This dedication is done to thank Supervisor Knabe for his support in the renovation of the building. The new facility replaces the old kitchen, which was too small to accommodate the growing population of veterans at the site"

The new kitchen and dining hall will serve over 13,000 meals to veterans each month, and the entire facility will be run and staffed by veterans, offering them job and management opportunities.

Villages at Cabrillo serves 1,000 veterans every year, and each year finds jobs for 150 veterans through its career center. Since 2001, the Long Beach site of U.S.Vets has provided a comprehensive array of services to homeless and at-risk veterans, including 30 Afghanistan and Iraq veterans. More than a hundred female veterans have received specialized services, some for sexual trauma. The U.S.Vets Long Beach site is the largest transitional housing facility for homeless veterans in the country with 520 beds.

U.S.Vets partnered with Century Villages at Cabrillo to renovate the historic building.

About U.S.Vets
U.S.Vets is America's largest nonprofit organization serving all veterans, including those recently separated from Afghanistan and Iraq; female veterans, unemployed and disabled veterans - and their families. U.S.Vets provides housing, employment assistance, and comprehensive counseling services. Each night, more than 2,000 formerly at-risk and homeless veterans have a place to call home at one of U.S.Vets' 11 locations.

U.S.Vets sites in California include: Long Beach, Inglewood, and Riverside. Other sites are in Phoenix and Prescott, Ariz., Barbers Point & Waianae, Hawaii; Las Vegas, Houston and Washington, D.C. United States Veterans Initiative dba U.S.Vets is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit IRS ID#95-4382752.