WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS BILINGUAL VETERANS OUTREACH CENTER
Mr. Gumersindo Gomez
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
VA/VVA ACCREDITED SERVICE OFFICER
20 YEAR VETERAN (RETIRED) U.S. ARMY
Born
in Sabana Grande Puerto Rico, Gumersindo Gomez left Puerto Rico for New York
City in January of 1966. He joined the U. S. Army June 30, 1966 and spent
the next 20 years serving his country. Assigned to the 196th
Light Infantry Brigade, 3rd Bn 21st Infantry, Gumersindo
served one year in Vietnam. Leaving Vietnam in 1967, Gumersindo did tours
of duty in Germany for six years, Fort Dix New Jersey for nine years and Fort
Ord California for one year, ending up in the Republic of Honduras for the
remainder of his term. After 20 years of service, Gumersindo retired and
came to live in Springfield Massachusetts marrying
his wife Eva Gomez a native of Springfield. Enjoying his marriage,
Gumersindo has three sons and a daughter.
After arriving in Springfield in August of 1986, Gumersindo, along with other Vietnam Veterans from Boston founded the Puerto Rican Veterans Association of Massachusetts Inc. on July 1st, 1987 in which today is formally known as The Western Mass Bi-lingual Veterans Outreach Center of Western Massachusetts.
The Western Mass
Bi-lingual Veterans Outreach Center, located at 281 Franklin Street in
Springfield is the only veterans outreach center with three
VA/VVA Accredited Service Officers
serving veterans and their families throughout western Massachusetts and is the
only known veterans outreach center in western Massachusetts.
This non-profit Veterans Outreach Center runs two Homeless Veterans Transitional Homes,
“The Jorge Oterro Barreto Homeless Veterans Transitional Home” and “The single efficiency rooms at the YMCA” both in Springfield housing and feeding a total of 34 homeless veterans throughout the year. The PRVA is the only known non-profit Puerto Rican Veterans Outreach Center serving veterans and their families with tax dollars in the continental United States and Puerto Rico.This organization serves
70% Caucasian
25% African American
5% Hispanics and others
In 2001 the Outreach Center was successful in bringing into Western Massachusetts 1.5 million dollars in claim money to veterans, 1.7 million in 2003, 2 million in Fiscal Year 2004 and in the Fiscal Year 2005 the Center achieved a record high of 3 million and 54 thousand dollars in claim money for veterans.
In July 2007, Gumersindo Gomez expanded his outreach center with a second Bi-lingual Veterans Outreach Center in Boston located at 719 Tremont Street.
Visit The Bi-lingual Veterans Outreach Center at 281 Franklin Street Springfield, Mass or 719 Tremont Street, Boston today.
