After more than two years of planning, coordination and community support, Chowchilla officially celebrated the grand opening of a new VA ATLAS Center designed to improve healthcare access for Veterans throughout Chowchilla and surrounding rural communities last week.
The ATLAS Center is a collaboration between the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 9896 and American Legion Post 148 and is located at the American Legion building in Chowchilla. The ribbon cutting was held August 13 to members of the community.
For Manuel Inacio, Commander of VFW Post 9896 and a member of American Legion Post 148, the project represents much more than a new facility.
“This is more than a room, a computer, an internet connection and a screen,” Inacio said. “It is access to healthcare. It says someone cares. It says their service has not been forgotten. It says they are seen, valued and respected.”
A 2-year journey
The idea for the Chowchilla ATLAS Center began more than two years ago after Inacio visited the VA ATLAS Site in Los Banos. Seeing how the program could bring VA healthcare closer to Veterans in rural communities sparked a vision for creating a similar resource in Chowchilla.
The effort gained momentum after VA nurse Sadie Wilcox learned that local Veterans were seeking ways to connect with their VA healthcare providers without making the long drive to Fresno. Wilcox helped connect Inacio people to help, beginning an intensive year of planning and coordination that eventually brought the vision to reality.
Veterans organizations and community members quickly stepped forward. VFW and American Legion members offered their support, while Veterans’ spouses volunteered their time to help transform the space.
Tanya Robles, spouse of VFW and American Legion member Paul Robles, spent four days painting a large American flag on the wall. A display decorated with Buddy Poppies honors Veterans’ sacrifices, while a display of military service flags, provided by Vietnam Veteran Larry Bebee, represents the importance of every branch and every Veteran.
Bringing care closer to veterans
For many local Veterans, receiving VA healthcare can require an hour-long drive each way to Fresno, and sometimes longer with traffic. For older Veterans, the trip can be physically difficult. Veterans on fixed incomes face transportation costs, working Veterans may need to take time off, and younger Veterans may need to arrange childcare.
The ATLAS Center helps remove those barriers by providing a local, private space where Veterans can securely connect with VA healthcare providers through virtual appointments.
An ATLAS attendant can assist Veterans with the technology and connection process, while the private setting allows Veterans to communicate with their healthcare providers with dignity and confidentiality.
The center also provides employment opportunities through ATLAS attendant positions, allowing Veterans to continue serving and supporting their fellow Veterans.
For Inacio, the center represents the continued commitment of the community to those who served.
“Sometimes, helping another Veteran becomes part of our own healing,” he said.
After two years of turning an idea into reality, the message behind the new center is simple: Access. Dignity. Hope.
“When we take care of those who wore the uniform, we are not simply repaying a debt — we are honoring a promise,” Inacio said. “A promise that when they served our nation, our nation would never stop serving them.”