Milestone: Arizona State Veteran Home-Yuma celebrates grand opening

YUMA, Ariz. – Arizona State Veteran Home-Yuma is now open!

It was a packed house on Saturday, June 24th as the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services held a grand opening celebration with current residents, staff, Veterans and the Yuma community.

“Today is all about them (ASVH-Yuma residents), and the staff that works tirelessly to ensure that they are well taken care of,” ADVS Director Dana Allmond said during the ceremony program.

Arizona State Veteran Home-Yuma is an 80 bed, 24-hour, skilled-nursing facility located behind the First Christian Church on E. 32nd Street about 4.5 miles east of the Yuma International Airport.

They City of Yuma donated the 10 acres of land to build ASVH-Yuma. In 2019, ADVS broke ground on ASVH-Yuma. The home was made possible thanks to a $18.6 million grant from the VA State Home Construction Grant and over $13 million from the Arizona State Legislature.

“This facility is a perfect example of what we could accomplish when citizens and elected officials of the city, state, and federal governments partner and work together for a common goal,” explained Yuma City Councilman Gary Knight.

Knight, a Navy Veteran also spoke about watching the process of ASVH-Yuma through the years. “I remember when I first took office in 2014; it was just an idea, a distant goal. Now, finally, it’s a reality.”

The grand opening ceremony also includes special presentations from the Elks Lodge #476 that has served Yuma for over 100 years. The Elks donated handmade leather gloves that residents who use wheelchairs will be able to utilize.

The Military Order of the Cootie of the United States is a non-profit Veterans Service Organization presented and dedicated the Cootie Pup Tent 11 Cinema to the residents of ASVH-Yuma. The Cinema will be used for weekly movie nights as well as other activities.

Currently, 24 residents are living in the two neighborhood wings currently open at the home.

If you’d like more information about Arizona State Veteran Home-Yuma, including how to become a resident, click here!