Veterans Services

Contributing toward the support of our local veterans through the VSO General Fund is a great opportunity for the members of the community to give back and thank veterans for their services.

Suicide Prevention Task Force (SPTF)

SPTF envisions a county without suicide and aims to accomplish this by implementing a full range of strategies, starting from prevention and early intervention. Your donations to the SPTF will help increase prevention and early intervention services, and help our community members better understand and recognize the signs and symptoms of suicide risk.

Tulare County Parks–Lily Pond

For more than five decades the Lily Pond was a popular water feature in Mooney Grove Park. Due to the increasing cost of repair and maintenance over time, the Lily Pond is been non-functional for the past 15 years. To avoid demolition and to honor the history of the Lily Pond, the County is seeking donations from the community to help repair and restore the Lily Pond.

Step Up

Your donations to the Step Up program will be used for collateral items (i.e., T-shirts, backpacks, etc.), venue rental, event food, printing, speakers' fees, awards, materials, and other items associated with Step Up—a movement to encourage youth to participate in extracurricular activities, foster positive associations, and connect to constructive social networks.

K/T AAA - Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging

The Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging helps provide programs and activities for local senior citizens, from arts and crafts to Medicare counseling, line dancing to home-delivered meals. Your donations to the Area Agency on Aging will help us continue to provide a wide range of services and activities to encourage older Americans to remain healthy, active, and involved in the community.

Homeless Fund

Donations to the Homeless Fund will help supply toiletries, clothing, identification card/application fees, furnishings, or cooking utensils/appliances, or may fund expenses like a utility bill or car repair for those experiencing, at risk for, or exiting homelessness.

At-Risk Youth (Human Services)

The funds donated to the Human Services At-Risk Youth fund benefit youth who are participating in an employment program and working to make the transition to adulthood and self-sufficiency. This program helps youth in need of emergency monies for necessities such as transportation, work apparel, utilities, medical, dental, and prescription expenses.

National LOSS (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) Conference to be held in Visalia, California

In partnership with the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) and Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, the Tulare County Suicide Prevention Task Force has opened registration for the National LOSS (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) Team Conference, held October 8-9, 2019, in Visalia, California. The conference is for suicide loss survivors, clinicians, first responders, active military and veterans, faith-based and non-governmental organizations, educations, family members, and supporters who seek to learn more about suicide prevention, intervention, postvention, and care and support.

Keynote speakers include Kevin Briggs, retired California Highway Patrol Officer and author of Guardian of the Golden Gate: Protecting the Line Between Hope and Despair; Govan Martin, III, Executive Director of Prevent Suicide PA; Dr. Lanny Berman, retired Executive Director of AAS; Kim Ruocco, Vice President of Suicide Prevention and Postvention for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS); Tom Donwen, National Chair of Suicide Prevention for AMVETS; and Dr. Frank Campbell, the creator of the LOSS Team model, and past president of AAS.

Other events scheduled to take place during the conference include a screening of the award-winning documentary “The S Word” with live commentary provided by the film’s director, Lisa Klein. Internationally known street painter Lorelle Miller is scheduled to create a 15-foot interactive art installation based on a mandala as a healing area. Additionally, a healing room is being provided for suicide loss survivors and other supporters.

Local resident, national speaker and expert in community-based suicide prevention, postvention, strategic planning, and Director of the Tulare County Suicide Prevention Task Force, Noah Whitaker, says, “Hope is the greatest tool we have toward fixing the challenging problems of despair in our communities. However, hope alone is fruitless without action. This conference will have information for anyone who has been touched by the issue of suicide and has a desire to assist others through their struggles with despair.” Though the national rate for suicide increased by 24% between 1999 and 2014, through suicide prevention efforts, Tulare County suicide rates have remained level and have dropped by 50% in 2019. Suicide is rated as the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.