VESTAL, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – An organization that bills itself as a one-stop-shop for veterans and active duty service members has opened an office in Greater Binghamton.

Clear Path for Veterans now has a facility at 114 Clayton Avenue in Vestal.

Clear Path was founded in the Syracuse area in 2011 with a program called Dogs To Vets that connected veterans with service dogs.

In 2017, it began offering programs in services in our area.

800 veterans received support from Clear Path last year in the 8 county Southern Tier region.
The non-profit offers peer support, culinary education and assistance with navigating the VA system.

The services are free and unconditional, regardless of a veteran’s branch, era of service or discharge status.

Outreach Manager Katine Sinclair says they never turn a veteran away.

“I always refer to some veterans as like peeling an onion. You’re taking one layer off at a time. You can see them coming back to life and seeing them really succeed in moving forward in their lives. Whether it’s in a career, in relationships, some of them may still be in the service and they have to go back out.”

Sinclair says that for those veterans or military personnel that they’re unable to serve, they look for a warm hand-off to a local partner such as the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group, the Binghamton Vet Center, Stand With Me or the Be Safe Committee.

Sinclair says the new office provides space for group meetings and is also a place for veterans to just pop in and get information.

You can find out more at clearpath4vets.com.