Gone but not forgotten. Resource fair honors Bronx veteran

BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) --- Leroy "Archie" Archible is gone but not forgotten, after not only serving in the Marines during the Korean War but his community in the Bronx.

"If he was here now, he would be so happy because this is what he fought for," said Rosetta Archible, Leroy's daughter. 

Leroy Archible passed away in August at the age of 91. On Monday, a veterans resource fair in Co-op city is dedicated to his memory.

"I feel that no veteran should be homeless," said Steven Colon, a U.S. Marines veteran and member of Black Veterans for Social Justice. "No veteran should be without employment."

"The goal is to let veterans know you're not forgotten, you're exceptional to this country," said Kevin Meggett, a U.S. Navy veteran.

Organizations such as Black Veterans for Social Justice and Veterans Affairs were on hand to offer help to vets searching for a job or struggling with their mental health.

"There are resources here in the name of employment, housing, suicide prevention, and various organizations if people need to actually have someone to talk to," Meggett said.  

According to the NYC Department of Veterans Services, the city has reduced veteran homelessness by nearly 90% since 2011, a trend they're looking to continue exiting the pandemic. Still, advocates said more work needs to be done to look out for veterans.

"There's a lot of things that need to change and it needs to start from a federal level," Meggett said. "It needs to start with more resources, particularly and especially federal shelters to shelter our veterans which could trickle down to the state, which should trickle down to the city."

Rosetta Archible hopes one day to see a world where no veteran is mistreated.

"I just want the veterans to get what they need," she said.