GRITs Veteran & Senior Resources

06/18/2026

This is great to know, so spread the word!

With today's extreme heat, it is important to stay hydrated and take breaks in air-conditioned areas. The following locations are open to the public to cool down.

06/18/2026

I don’t believe in coincidences.

64 days out. The mission is clear. The Big Country is ready.

August 20th · Taylor County Coliseum · Abilene · FREE

Because in the Big Country — we take care of our own. 🇺🇸

06/18/2026

📚 **VENDOR SPOTLIGHT #26 — Abilene Public Library**

Your library is one of the most powerful free resources in our community — and most people don't know the half of what it offers.

We are excited to welcome the **Abilene Public Library** to GRIT's Veteran & Senior Resource Fair!

The Abilene Public Library offers so much more than books:

📖 Print and digital collections — books, audiobooks, e-books
💻 Electronic resources and online databases
🎓 Educational materials for all ages
👨‍👩‍👧 Programs for children, teens, and adults
🖨️ Free printing, scanning, and computer access
🌐 Free WiFi and digital literacy help

For veterans, seniors, and families who need resources — your library is already there for you. Come meet their team on August 20th and discover what you've been missing.

📍 Taylor County Coliseum · 1700 Hwy 36 · Abilene, TX
🗓️ August 20, 2026 · 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
🆓 FREE Community Event

👉 Tag a neighbor or friend who doesn't know about all the free resources at the Abilene Public Library! ⬇️

06/18/2026

Connection often grows when we least expect it — sometimes in a garden, sometimes at a resource fair. 💛

AARP reminds us that social connection isn’t a luxury for older adults — it’s essential. Isolation is one of the leading contributors to cognitive decline, depression, and poor health outcomes in seniors. And the antidote is simple: show up for each other.

That’s exactly what we’re doing on August 20th. The First Annual GRIT’s Veteran & Senior Resource Fair brings 50+ organizations together — free — for the veterans, seniors, caregivers, and military families of the Big Country.

Come for the resources. Stay for the connection. 🇺🇸

📍 Taylor County Coliseum · Abilene, TX
🗓️ August 20, 2026 · 9 AM – 4 PM · FREE

Because in the Big Country — we take care of our own. 🇺🇸

Connection often grows when we have a place to gather. A neighborhood garden can create that space, offering a low-pressure way to spend time outside, work toward a shared goal and see familiar faces over time.

Gardening with others or volunteering for a local beautification project in your neighborhood can support healthy aging through physical activity and socializing. They can also help build more resilient communities by strengthening neighborhood connectedness and giving people something meaningful to care for and invest in together. Your key to connection might be growing right around the corner.

Interested in growing your community? Visit the link in the comments.

06/17/2026

Nearly 24,000 veterans, service members, and military families fed in 2025 alone — because Combined Arms saw the data on food insecurity and refused to look away.

This is the standard. See a need. Build the solution. Show up.

In the Big Country, we’re proud to stand alongside organizations doing exactly this kind of work. The Food Bank of West Central Texas will be on the floor at our First Annual GRIT’s Veteran & Senior Resource Fair on August 20th — connecting our community with the resources they deserve.

📍 Taylor County Coliseum · Abilene, TX
🗓️ August 20, 2026 · 9 AM – 4 PM · FREE

Because in the Big Country — we take care of our own. 🇺🇸

Putting food on the table is about more than just filling a plate. It's about making sure the meal is nutritious and that every dollar strengthens the local Texas farms feeding our communities.
🥬
Years ago, when our data pointed to rising food insecurity among veterans, service members, and military families, Texas Veterans Network powered by Combined Arms answered by launching food distributions across the state.
⭐
Thank you to The Common Market for recognizing the locally sourced food behind these drives. In 2025 alone, we served nearly 24,000 people.

06/17/2026

Big news for family caregivers across America. 💛

AARP and United Way Worldwide are expanding the 211 Caregiver Program to 10 new states — connecting millions more caregivers to the support they need and deserve.

Caregiving is one of the most demanding, most invisible jobs there is. Resources like this change lives.

And right here in the Big Country — we're doing our part on August 20th. The First Annual GRIT's Veteran & Senior Resource Fair brings 50+ organizations together in one place, free, for our veterans, seniors, and the caregivers who love them.

📍 Taylor County Coliseum · Abilene, TX
🗓️ August 20, 2026 · 9 AM – 4 PM · FREE

Because in the Big Country — we take care of our own. 🇺🇸

Caregivers show up every day for the people they love. Now, more caregivers can find support when they need it.

Together with AARP, we’re expanding the 211 Caregiver Support Program to 32 states + Puerto Rico, helping millions of family caregivers connect to trusted resources and support when they need it most.

Learn more: https://untdwy.org/4vi6IDS

06/17/2026

103° today. 105° tomorrow. This is West Texas in June — and our seniors and veterans feel it hardest.

United Way of Abilene is spreading the word, and we’re sharing it too — because this is exactly the kind of community awareness that saves lives.

💧 Drink water
🏠 Stay in AC when possible
☀️ Limit outdoor activity during peak hours
👴 Check on your elderly neighbors
📞 Dial 2-1-1 for cooling centers

And on August 20th, come find even more resources for the seniors and veterans in your life — free, right here in Abilene.

📍 Taylor County Coliseum · 9 AM – 4 PM · FREE

Because in the Big Country — we take care of our own. 🇺🇸

🌡️ Texas summers are no joke! ☀

With temperatures expected to reach the triple digits today and tomorrow, it's more important than ever to take precautions and stay safe in the heat.

If you or someone you know needs a place to cool off, dial 2-1-1 to find cooling centers and other heat-relief resources available in our community. 211 can also connect you with additional support services and community resources.

Let's work together to keep our community safe, healthy, and cool this summer.

06/17/2026

☀️ West Texas heat is not playing around this week.

103°F today. 105°F tomorrow. For our seniors and veterans — this is a serious health risk, not just an inconvenience.

If you know an elderly neighbor, a veteran living alone, or anyone without reliable AC — check on them today. Don’t wait.

📞 Dial 2-1-1 to find a cooling center near you.

Because in the Big Country — we take care of our own. 🇺🇸

Summer-like heat is here.🥵

If you’re looking for a place to cool off, TDEM has a map of cooling centers opened and operated by local officials.

Find one near you: tdem.texas.gov/cool

06/17/2026

Thursday MORNING — Free Veteran Breakfast at the MVPN Building, 765 Orange St, Abilene · 8:30 AM

Veterans, active duty, and military families — breakfast is on us. Home Instead Abilene is proud to sponsor the Military Veteran Peer Network’s free monthly breakfast, and we would love to see you there.

No cost. No agenda. Just community.

Because in the Big Country — we take care of our own. 🇺🇸

Don't forget breakfast is in the morning @ 8;30 (everyone is welcome)

06/17/2026

Right here in Abilene. 💜

The Alzheimer’s Association and Lyndale Abilene Memory Care are hosting a lemonade and popcorn fundraiser in support of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s — and this is exactly the kind of community showing up for community that we love to see in the Big Country.

If you’re in Abilene, stop by the gazebo and show some love.

Because in the Big Country — we take care of our own. 🇺🇸

💜