06/13/2026
What a powerful day of service, fellowship, and remembrance.
Check out this blog post for pictures of the event!
This month's Veterans Coalition of Pennsylvania Stand Down brought together veterans, families, volunteers, and community partners to provide food, clothing, pet food, resources, support services, and friendship to those who served our nation.
We were honored to remember and celebrate the life of Chris "Topher" Bower, whose compassion and commitment helped shape VCOP from the very beginning. The incredible turnout was a testament to the lives he touched and the legacy he leaves behind.
A special thank you to our community partners who helped make the day possible:
🇺🇸 Weis Markets and their supplier partners for providing lunch
🥤 Coca-Cola for donated beverages
🥔 Dieffenbach's Snacks for donated chips
🧁 Tastykake for donated treats
✂️ Empire Beauty School at Reading for providing free haircuts for veterans
📖 Local church volunteers for offering free Bibles
🤝 Veterans Administration representatives for supporting veterans with information and resources
One of Topher's favorite sayings perfectly captured the spirit of the day:
"It started with a sandwich. I'm the type of guy that if I have a sandwich and you don't have a sandwich, we both have half a sandwich."
Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, donated, shared memories, and helped us continue the mission that meant so much to Topher.
Check out this blog post for pictures of the event!
Veterans Coalition of Pennsylvania - VCOP is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans and their families with respect, dignity, and care. Through food, clothing, housing support, transportation, and community outreach, we work to ensure no veteran is left behind.
