Covina Rotary Club’s Field of Valor draws attention to homelessness among veterans

Like many Veterans Day observations across the Southland this weekend, the field of fluttering American flags in Covina honored the sacrifice of those who have served in uniform. But the display also drew attention to the plague afflicting many veterans: homelessness.

The Covina Rotary Club’s Field of Valor, which features 2,001 flags on the grounds of a local school, wrapped its 11th year Saturday as a fundraiser to combat homelessness among local veterans.

“Since January, we’ve put 17 off the street,” said Linda Logan, who started the program in 2011 after learning of an estimate that 20% of veterans would experience homelessness.

Kadence Belle, 10, visits Covina’s Field of Valor to honor troops and veterans on the grounds of Sierra Vista Middle School on Saturday.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Finding the statistic “not acceptable,” Logan and the rotary began raising funds and working with the West L.A. Veterans Affairs Medical Center to identify veterans in the San Gabriel Valley who were on the street or at risk of eviction.

“We help pay for their first month’s rent, their security deposit. We buy them sheets and towels and kitchen utensils,” Logan said. In addition to those moved into apartments this year, the project helped 60 veterans afford to stay in their homes.

The program accepts applications for aid on its website covinafieldofvalor.org.

Times photographer Irfan Khan contributed to this report.