NYC Veterans Day Breakfast at The Met with Mayor Eric Adams

Honoring Veterans at The Met

• 🇺🇸 The event, "Vets Take the Met," was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to honor veterans, featuring the national anthem and a prayer for their service and sacrifice.
• 🕯️ A solemn remembrance ceremony was held for missing and unaccounted-for service members, symbolized by an empty table with specific items representing their sacrifice and the hope for their return.
• 🖼️ Nora Yaya from The Met welcomed attendees, highlighting the museum as a public space reflecting American history and culture, and encouraging veterans to explore the American Wing, including "Washington Crossing the Delaware."

Celebrating Service and Sacrifice

• 🎖️ Commissioner James Henden of the NYC Department of Veteran Services (DVS) welcomed attendees to the largest Veterans Day breakfast in NYC history, celebrating various military anniversaries.
• 🤝 The event acknowledged and thanked numerous partners, including Gold Star families, city and state government officials, veteran service organizations, and sponsors like T-Mobile and JetBlue.
• 🏆 Ten winners of the "Boss Up Veteran Small Business Competition" were announced, each receiving a $20,000 grant and business training.

Mayor Adams' Address on Patriotism and Service

• 🗽 Mayor Eric Adams emphasized the importance of patriotism and love for America, drawing parallels between building a sports team and fostering national pride among young people.
• 🕊️ He spoke about the debt owed to veterans, referencing his own uncle's sacrifice in Vietnam, and stressed that being American means understanding what the flag represents.
• 🤝 Mayor Adams reaffirmed New York City's commitment to respecting and honoring veterans through various initiatives and ensuring continued support for them and their families.

Connecting and Supporting Veterans

• 🤝 The DVS team was recognized for their extensive work in organizing the event, which aimed to connect veterans with essential benefits and services.
• 🌟 The oldest (Bob Farcus, 88) and youngest (Lance Corporal Winnie Yang, 20) service members present were honored with a special challenge coin.
• 💡 Key takeaways for veterans included focusing on the "work" of utilizing benefits (healthcare, housing, education, employment), the importance of the "we" (community support), and the imperative to help at least two people (self and one other) access their earned benefits.
• 🎗️ The event concluded with a reminder that freedom is not free, emphasizing the immense sacrifices made by service members and the ongoing commitment to support them and their families, with information on the NYC Veterans Day parade and DVS contact details provided.