Jesse Brown VA Medical Center

Joe Bazil (left), an outreach coordinator at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, assists a Veteran during a recent hiring fair in Chicago. More than 40 employers will be on hand at the Illinois Warrior Summit and 5th Annual Welcome Home Celebration at the UIC Forum on Aug. 9.

Veterans and their families are invited to attend the Illinois Warrior Summit and 5th Annual Welcome Home Celebration at the University of Illinois at Chicago's UIC Forum on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown Medical Center and Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital are collaborating with Illinois Supporting All Veterans Equally (ISAVE) to host the event.

More than 4,000 active and Reserve servicemembers, Veterans and their families are expected to attend the free event. Participants can learn more about services and programs available to Veterans, including: health care and education benefits, employment resources, housing, legal help, disability benefits, mental health care, family and children's services. Also included:

• over 5,000 free sports tickets for Veterans to White Sox, Fire, Sky and Cubs games
• free food and refreshments for the first 2,500 people
• free t-shirts for the first 1,000 Veterans (one per Veteran)
• free raffles and giveaways all day
• free children’s entertainment with giant slide and activities
• VA providing physicals and registration for health care
• Illinois Department of Employment Security providing registration for unemployment benefits
• National Able Network providing registration for employment opportunities
• 80 non-profit Veteran support organizations providing free services and programs
• more than 40 employers providing job opportunities
• more than 30 VA program/service stations providing assistance to Veterans
• more than 20 universities and colleges providing education information
• Opening ceremony with color guard presentation
• National Anthem performance
• Military Taps Performance and much more.