What is Navy Gold Star Remembrance Month? May is the Navy’s official month to honor surviving families of Sailors who died on active duty. The program — called Navy Gold Star — provides long-term support to spouses, parents, children, and siblings, regardless of branch, location, or manner of death. At Naval Station Everett, the All American Restaurant in Building 2025 is serving special Gold Star–inspired meals every Tuesday this month, and the Region Northwest Navy Gold Star Coordinator is reachable through the Fleet and Family Support Center at 425-304-3735.

The blue star, then the gold one, then the silence. Most civilians know the Gold Star symbol from the small banner that hangs in a window after a service member dies on duty. What fewer people in Everett realize is that the Navy runs an entire month — every May — to make sure those families are not left to grieve alone. Navy Gold Star Remembrance Month is officially observed Navy-wide in May, and at Naval Station Everett the program shows up in small, deliberate ways: a featured Tuesday menu at the base restaurant, a dedicated coordinator at the Fleet and Family Support Center, and a standing invitation to surviving families to walk back through the gate any time they want, for as long as they want.

If you’re new to the Pacific Northwest as a Navy spouse, parent, or sibling — or if you’re a civilian neighbor wondering how to honor the families behind the uniforms in your community — here is what May means at NAVSTA Everett, where to call, and what’s available year-round.

Tuesdays at the All American: A Quiet Way the Base Says “We Remember”

The most visible NAVSTA Everett observance this year is happening at the All American Restaurant, the Morale, Welfare and Recreation–run dining facility in Building 2025. According to Naval Station Everett’s Fleet and Family Readiness page announcing the observance, the All American is serving special meals every Tuesday in May “inspired by their stories and traditions” — meaning each Tuesday menu is built around a Gold Star Sailor remembered through the dish.

It is a small gesture and a meaningful one. The All American is open to authorized patrons for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on weekdays, with brunch and supper on weekends and holidays. For menu details, hours, or to confirm a specific Tuesday’s offering, the restaurant’s direct line is 425-304-3943.

If you’re a surviving family member who hasn’t been on base in a while: the program supports your continued use of base facilities through your existing dependent ID, and if you’ve lost track of how to keep that current, the Region Northwest Navy Gold Star Coordinator at Everett FFSC will walk you through it.

What Navy Gold Star Actually Is — And Who Qualifies

The Navy Gold Star program is the service’s official long-term support program for the surviving families of Sailors who die on active duty. Three things make it different from how most civilians imagine “veteran services”:

• It is not branch-restricted on the receiving end. If your loved one served in any branch, Navy Gold Star coordinators will help you connect to the appropriate branch’s survivor services. The program describes itself as “inclusive — regardless of your loved one’s military branch, location, or manner of death.”
• It is not time-limited. Coordinators provide outreach and assistance for as long as the surviving family member desires. There is no expiration.
• It does not change your benefits. Participation does not grant additional entitlements beyond what the survivor was already eligible for; it adds support, not paperwork.

Eligibility is broader than many families realize. The Navy Gold Star program lists the following eligible relationships to a fallen Sailor: widow or widower (remarried or not); each parent — including stepparents, adoptive parents, and foster parents who stood in loco parentis; each child, including stepchildren and adopted children; and each sibling, including half-siblings and step-siblings. If you wondered whether you “count” — you probably do.

How to Reach the Region Northwest Coordinator at Everett FFSC

The Navy Region Northwest Gold Star Coordinator is housed within the Fleet and Family Support Center system, and Naval Station Everett’s FFSC routes Gold Star inquiries the same way it handles every other family-support request: through Centralized Scheduling.

• NAVSTA Everett FFSC Centralized Scheduling: 425-304-3735
• FFSC email (Region Northwest): ffsp.cnrnw@navy.mil
• Navy Gold Star national line: 1-888-509-8759

The same FFSC team that supports active-duty families through deployment, PCS, financial counseling, and the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program also handles Gold Star outreach. That continuity matters — if you were already a part of the FFSC family before your loss, the same building, same number, and (often) the same people are still there for you.

Gold Star Lapel Buttons and Next of Kin Pins

The small lapel pin you sometimes see on a parent or spouse — the gold star on a purple background, or the gold star on a gold background for next of kin — is issued by the Department of Defense, not purchased privately. If your pin was lost, damaged, or never reached you, replacements are available.

Eligible family members can request a replacement Gold Star Lapel Button or Next of Kin Lapel Pin two ways: by contacting the Region Northwest Navy Gold Star Coordinator through Everett FFSC for assistance, or by submitting DD Form 3 (“Application for Gold Star Lapel Button”) directly to:

Navy Personnel Command
Navy Casualty Office (PERS-00C)
ATTN: Long Term Assistance Program
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055

Bells Across America and the Survivors of Suicide Loss Group

Two Navy Gold Star programs run year-round and are worth knowing about even if your loss is not recent.

Bells Across America for Fallen Service Members is an annual remembrance ceremony held each spring across Navy installations and partner communities. The names of Sailors lost in the previous year are read aloud, and a bell is rung after each name. The Region Northwest event is coordinated through the Gold Star program; ask the Everett coordinator for the year’s date and location.

The Survivors of Suicide Loss Virtual Support Group is a Navy Gold Star–facilitated peer support group specifically for surviving family members of Sailors lost to suicide. It runs virtually, which matters in a region as geographically spread out as Navy Region Northwest — you do not have to drive to Everett or Bremerton to attend.

For Civilian Neighbors: How to Honor Without Intruding

Snohomish County is a Navy town in ways that don’t always announce themselves. There are Gold Star families in Mukilteo, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Edmonds, and every neighborhood in Everett. If you want to honor the month without overstepping, three quiet things help:

• Recognize the symbol, not the story. If you see a Gold Star Lapel Pin or a Gold Star banner in a window, a nod or a “thank you” is welcome. Asking for the story is not — let the family raise it if they want.
• Support the local infrastructure. The same nonprofits that show up for veterans show up for Gold Star families: American Legion posts and VFW posts, the USO Northwest, and Snohomish County’s Veterans Assistance Program at the Drewel Building. Volunteering or donating to these organizations supports surviving families directly.
• Show up Memorial Day weekend. The county’s Memorial Day observances at Tahoma National Cemetery, the Eternal Flame at the Drewel Building, and Lake Stevens Post 181 are the formal closing of Gold Star Month — and showing up is the most visible thing a civilian neighbor can do.

Connecting the Month to Memorial Day

Navy Gold Star Remembrance Month deliberately bookends Memorial Day. The month builds toward the federal holiday on Monday, May 25, when ceremonies will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent at 1 p.m. and at the Eternal Flame outside the Robert J. Drewel Building in downtown Everett. The Gold Star program’s framing is that Memorial Day is a single day; remembrance is a continuum, and the families who carry it deserve a month of visibility and a year-round line they can call.

For families newly assigned to NAVSTA Everett — including those arriving during the spring PCS season as Military Spouse Appreciation Day approaches on May 8 — this is the month to put the Gold Star coordinator’s number in your phone, even if you never need it. Your neighbor on base, in the chapel pew, or in the carpool line might.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Navy Gold Star only for families of Sailors killed in combat?

No. Navy Gold Star supports surviving families of Sailors who died on active duty regardless of the manner of death — combat, training accident, illness, or suicide. The program is explicit that it is “inclusive — regardless of your loved one’s military branch, location, or manner of death.”

If I remarried, do I lose access to Gold Star support?

No. The Navy Gold Star program lists “widow (remarried or not)” and “widower (remarried or not)” as eligible. Remarriage does not end your participation in the support program.

My loved one wasn’t Navy. Can the Region Northwest coordinator still help?

Yes. Navy Gold Star coordinators help connect surviving families to the appropriate branch’s survivor services regardless of which branch the service member belonged to. Call 1-888-509-8759 or the Everett FFSC at 425-304-3735 to be routed.

How do I get a replacement Gold Star Lapel Pin?

Submit DD Form 3 (“Application for Gold Star Lapel Button”) to Navy Personnel Command, Navy Casualty Office (PERS-00C), ATTN: Long Term Assistance Program, 5720 Integrity Drive, Millington, TN 38055 — or contact the Region Northwest Navy Gold Star Coordinator through the Everett FFSC for help with the application.

When are the All American’s Gold Star Tuesday meals served?

Every Tuesday in May 2026 during regular meal hours at the All American Restaurant in Building 2025 at NAVSTA Everett. For the specific menu on a given Tuesday, call 425-304-3943.

Is Bells Across America held at NAVSTA Everett?

The Region Northwest Bells Across America observance rotates and is coordinated through the Navy Gold Star program. Contact the Region Northwest coordinator through Everett FFSC at 425-304-3735 for the current year’s date, location, and how to attend or read a name.

Where do Memorial Day observances happen in Snohomish County?

The two largest Snohomish County–accessible observances are Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent (1 p.m. Monday, May 25) and the Eternal Flame ceremony at the Robert J. Drewel Building in downtown Everett. Smaller services run at Lake Stevens American Legion Post 181, Floral Hills Cemetery in Lynnwood, and Evergreen Cemetery in Everett.

Q: What did USS Gridley do in the Atlantic in late April 2026?
A: USS Gridley (DDG 101), homeported at Naval Station Everett, participated in a bilateral maritime engagement with six Argentine Navy vessels in the South Atlantic from April 28 to May 1, 2026, as part of Southern Seas 2026. Argentine President Javier Milei also boarded USS Nimitz during the engagement for a high-level diplomatic visit.

USS Gridley and USS Nimitz Host Argentine President Milei During Atlantic Bilateral Exercises

The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group — including Naval Station Everett’s own USS Gridley (DDG 101) — wrapped up a significant partner-nation engagement in the South Atlantic this week, one that put Everett’s destroyer in the middle of a head-of-state diplomatic moment and a complex multi-ship bilateral exercise with the Argentine Navy.

According to a U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) release dated May 1, 2026, the Argentine and U.S. navies conducted a bilateral maritime engagement in the Atlantic Ocean from April 28 to May 1, completing the South American arc of Southern Seas 2026. The engagement directly followed USS Gridley and USS Nimitz’s historic transit of the Strait of Magellan on April 26, the first such carrier transit in recent memory.

Six Argentine Ships, One Everett Destroyer

The bilateral exercise brought together a substantial formation of Argentine naval vessels alongside the American strike group. On the Argentine side: Almirante Brown-class destroyers ARA La Argentina (DD 11) and ARA Sarandi (D 13), Espora-class corvettes ARA Rosales (P 42) and ARA Robinson (P 45), and Gowind-class offshore patrol vessels ARA Piedrabuena (P 52) and ARA Bartolome Cordero (P 54). On the American side: USS Gridley (DDG 101) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

That’s eight ships — six Argentine, two American — operating together in open ocean to sharpen the kind of interoperability that alliance relationships are built on. For the families and community members back in Everett watching the Southern Seas 2026 deployment unfold, this engagement represents the most complex multi-nation formation USS Gridley has operated in during the entire deployment.

Rear Adm. Cassidy Norman, commander of Carrier Strike Group 11, framed the significance plainly in the DVIDS release: “Training with allies like Argentina builds the trust required to operate together in complex environments. Working through realistic scenarios with our Armada de Argentina counterparts deepened our understanding of each other’s systems, sharpened our interoperability, and strengthened our ability to accomplish our many shared maritime objectives.”

Argentine President Milei Boards USS Nimitz

The bilateral exercise also carried significant diplomatic weight. Argentine President Javier Milei, along with Minister of Defense Gen. Carlos Alberto Presti, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, and Chief of Defense Vice Adm. Marcelo Alejandro Dalle Nogare, boarded USS Nimitz during the engagement. The delegation was accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Argentina, Peter Lamelas.

According to the DVIDS release, the Argentine delegation met with Rear Adm. Norman and Capt. Joseph Furco, the commanding officer of Nimitz. They discussed the Southern Seas 2026 mission and the role of maritime cooperation in the alliance between Argentina and the United States. The visitors also observed flight operations and an air power demonstration from Nimitz’s flight deck.

The Navy described the visit as “one of many planned opportunities for distinguished visitors to observe carrier operations aboard Nimitz during Southern Seas 2026” — a signal that the diplomatic dimension of this deployment has been as deliberate as the operational one.

What This Means in the Arc of Southern Seas 2026

To understand why this engagement matters to Naval Station Everett and the families waiting at home, it helps to step back and see the full arc of the deployment. USS Gridley left Everett earlier this year as part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (NIMCSG), which consists of Nimitz, Carrier Air Wing 17, Destroyer Squadron 9, and Gridley. The mission: Southern Seas 2026, the 11th iteration of an exercise launched in 2007 designed to foster goodwill and build maritime partnerships throughout South America.

The deployment has moved through distinct phases, each covered as it happened. Gridley participated in the Ecuador port call, the Chilean port visit in Valparaiso (April 17–21), the PASSEX with Argentine units off Trelew (April 26–30), and now this larger bilateral engagement in the open Atlantic — a progression from coastal partner visits to open-ocean multi-ship operations. The Strait of Magellan transit on April 26 was the physical dividing line between the Pacific arc and the Atlantic arc.

With the Atlantic bilateral now complete, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group — and USS Gridley — is tracking toward Norfolk, Virginia, where USS Nimitz will eventually conclude its final overseas deployment before the carrier’s planned decommissioning in early 2027. That homecoming at Norfolk marks the end of the Nimitz’s sea-going chapter, not a return to Everett. USS Gridley’s own homecoming to Naval Station Everett will come separately, as the strike group dissolves and ships return to their individual homeports.

Southern Seas 2026: The Bigger Picture for NAVSTA Everett

For the Naval Station Everett community — the families, the civilian workforce, the businesses along Everett’s waterfront that serve the military community — this deployment has been more than a standard operations story. USS Nimitz is completing its last overseas cruise. USS Gridley has been the Everett ship at the tip of the spear for the entire circumnavigation.

Southern Seas 2026 marks the 11th iteration of an exercise that began in 2007. The program has consistently demonstrated American commitment to maritime partnerships in the Western Hemisphere, and Argentina has been a recurring partner. The scale of this year’s engagement — a head-of-state visit, an air power demonstration, and a six-ship bilateral formation — reflects how much the relationship has deepened.

Back in Everett, the question that looms alongside the deployment coverage is the longer-term homeport picture. With USS Nimitz heading toward decommissioning and the FF(X) frigate program now under contract to HII Ingalls with a 2028 delivery target, Naval Station Everett’s future force composition is still being written. The Snohomish County Military Affairs Committee continues its engagement on the homeport question. But in the meantime, USS Gridley is in the Atlantic, representing Everett in one of the more diplomatically visible moments the station has had in recent years.

What Families Should Know

If you have a sailor aboard USS Gridley or USS Nimitz, the publicly released information indicates the strike group has completed its South American operations and is in the Atlantic phase of the deployment. The Navy has not publicly announced a homecoming date for USS Gridley at Naval Station Everett. The Fleet & Family Support Center (FFSC) at NAVSTA Everett remains the primary resource for deployment support — they can be reached at 425-304-3735, and their hours and services are posted at everett.navylifepnw.com.

For families new to Everett or new to deployments, the FFSC offers counseling, financial assistance, employment help for spouses, and the COMPASS peer mentoring program. These services are available whether a sailor is deployed or shore-based.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ships from Naval Station Everett are currently deployed with Southern Seas 2026?

USS Gridley (DDG 101) is the NAVSTA Everett ship deployed with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group on Southern Seas 2026. The strike group also includes USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Carrier Air Wing 17, and Destroyer Squadron 9.

Who is the commanding officer of Carrier Strike Group 11?

Rear Adm. Cassidy Norman commands Carrier Strike Group 11. Capt. Joseph Furco is the commanding officer of USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Both were named in the official DVIDS public affairs release dated May 1, 2026.

Did Argentine President Milei actually board a U.S. Navy ship?

Yes. According to the DVIDS release from U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Argentine President Javier Milei, along with his Defense Minister, Foreign Minister, and Chief of Defense, boarded USS Nimitz during the April 28–May 1 Atlantic bilateral engagement and observed flight operations from the flight deck.

What is Southern Seas 2026?

Southern Seas 2026 is the 11th iteration of a U.S. 4th Fleet exercise designed to enhance maritime capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen partnerships with South American nations. It involves passing exercises, port visits, and bilateral engagements as the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group circumnavigates South America.

When will USS Gridley return to Naval Station Everett?

The U.S. Navy has not publicly announced a homecoming date for USS Gridley’s return to Naval Station Everett. Families seeking information should contact the Fleet & Family Support Center at 425-304-3735 or visit everett.navylifepnw.com.

How does this engagement connect to the FF(X) frigate homeport question?

They are separate issues. The bilateral exercise is an operational matter. The FF(X) homeport decision — whether Everett will receive the new frigates — is a policy and appropriations matter being tracked by the Snohomish County Military Affairs Committee and Rep. Rick Larsen’s office. The Navy awarded a $282.9M pre-construction contract to HII Ingalls in April 2026, with a 2028 delivery target for the lead ship.

What resources are available for Navy families at NAVSTA Everett during this deployment?

The Fleet & Family Support Center (FFSC) at Naval Station Everett offers counseling, financial assistance, spouse employment programs (MyCAA, MSEP), and the COMPASS peer mentoring program. Reach them at 425-304-3735 or visit everett.navylifepnw.com. The Smokey Point satellite office also serves families in the Marysville/Arlington area.

How is USS Nimitz’s final deployment going?

USS Nimitz is conducting what is publicly described as its final overseas deployment before decommissioning in early 2027. The carrier has been the centerpiece of Southern Seas 2026, completing a Strait of Magellan transit and hosting distinguished visitors including Argentine President Milei. USS John F. Kennedy is expected to be commissioned to replace her.

Q: When and where is the Edmonds American Legion Post 66 and VFW Post 8870 veterans dropoff event?

A: Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wilcox Construction Red Barn at 5th Avenue and Maple Street in downtown Edmonds. Members of Edmonds American Legion Post 66 and VFW Post 8870 will accept donations of food, personal hygiene items, lightly used or new spring and summer clothing, socks and underwear, cash or checks made out to “American Legion Food Drive,” and used American flags in need of proper disposal. Food collected goes to the Edmonds Food Bank for distribution to local veterans, with help from representatives of the Lynnwood Heroes’ Café. For information call 833-924-4636.

The Quietest Way to Help a Snohomish County Veteran This Month Is a Saturday Morning in Edmonds

There are over 50,000 veterans in Snohomish County, according to the event announcement from Edmonds American Legion Post 66 and VFW Post 8870 — a number that includes everyone from World War II survivors in their late 90s to NAVSTA Everett sailors who hung up the uniform last year and are still figuring out the gap between active-duty pay and the civilian job market. Many of them, the announcement says plainly, “continue to need help due to difficult circumstances.”

That is the context for what happens in downtown Edmonds on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., members of Edmonds American Legion Post 66 and VFW Post 8870 will be at the Wilcox Construction Red Barn — at the corner of 5th Avenue and Maple Street — collecting the kind of donations that veterans assistance programs need every month and rarely get all at once: food for the Edmonds Food Bank’s veteran clients, personal hygiene supplies, clothing, and money. Lynnwood Heroes’ Café representatives will help with distribution.

It is the kind of community event that does not make the front page even when it should. So here is what is being collected, who runs it, why the food bank route matters, and how it fits into the broader picture of veteran services for Navy families and retirees living within reach of Naval Station Everett.

What the May 9 Dropoff Event Is Collecting

The event organizers have published a specific list of what is needed. None of it is a guess about what veterans want — it is what the partner agencies, the Edmonds Food Bank and the Lynnwood Heroes’ Café, have asked for based on what they actually distribute.

Food

All food donations are routed to the Edmonds Food Bank, which then distributes them to local veterans. Non-perishable items — canned proteins, pasta, rice, soups, peanut butter, shelf-stable meals — are the standard ask.

Personal hygiene items

The published list calls out, by name: deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, lotion, body wash, and sanitary napkins. These are the categories that food banks consistently report as the hardest to keep stocked, because federal nutrition programs cover food but not hygiene products. Every dollar a veteran spends on toothpaste at a regular grocery store is a dollar not spent on rent or utilities.

Disposable diapers

Diapers are also specifically requested. Veteran households with young children — including grandchildren in the care of grandparent veterans — face the same diaper-cost squeeze as any other low-income family, and diapers cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits.

Clothing, socks, and underwear

Lightly used or new spring and summer clothing is welcome. Socks and underwear are specifically mentioned, which is also the standard ask at most veteran-serving distributions — those items are almost never donated used because most people wear them out.

Cash and credit/debit donations

Cash and card donations are accepted on-site. Checks should be made out to “American Legion Food Drive.” Cash donations let the post commanders fill specific gaps after the event closes — usually the high-cost items the in-person drive did not collect enough of.

Used American flags

The posts will also accept worn or damaged American flags for proper retirement and disposal. This is a service American Legion posts perform under flag-code protocol, and it removes a real practical question — most people do not know what to do with a flag that has worn out and cannot legally just put it in the trash.

Who Is Running the Event

Two posts are co-hosting:

Edmonds American Legion Post 66 is the Edmonds-area chapter of the American Legion, the congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1919. Post Commander Dan Mullene said in the event announcement that “our Edmonds-area community always supports our vets, and we are pleased to provide this opportunity of them to do it once again.” That language — “once again” — is the operative tense. This is not a one-off. The posts have been running similar drives for years, and they have a track record.

VFW Post 8870 is the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post serving the Edmonds area. Post Commander Duane Bowman said in the same announcement that “we greatly appreciate the continued community responses to our drives. Last year we brought in significant donations of food, hygiene products, clothing and money at similar events.” The VFW is a separate organization from the American Legion — membership is restricted to veterans who served in a designated overseas combat zone — but the two posts coordinate on community-facing events like this one.

Wilcox Construction donates the venue. Matt Lessard, president of Wilcox Construction, makes the Red Barn available for the event. The Red Barn — at 5th Avenue and Maple Street in downtown Edmonds — is one of those community-asset properties that exists because someone with the means decided it should. Both post commanders specifically thank Lessard and his team in the event announcement.

Edmonds Food Bank handles distribution of the food collected. The food bank has been the through-line for veteran food assistance in the Edmonds area for years and operates the actual logistics of getting groceries to veterans who have signed up for assistance.

Lynnwood Heroes’ Café sends representatives to help with distribution. The Heroes’ Café is a community gathering space serving veterans, first responders, and their families in the Lynnwood area, and its presence at the May 9 event extends the reach of the donations beyond just Edmonds.

Why a Food Drive Matters Inside a $340 Million Military Economy

Snohomish County is home to one of the largest concentrations of military households in Washington state. Naval Station Everett is the third-largest employer in the county, and the total annual economic impact of the military presence in Snohomish County is estimated at roughly $340 million.

That number represents wages, contracts, base spending, and the supplier ecosystem. It does not represent the gap between what active-duty pay covers and what civilian living costs in the Puget Sound region in 2026 actually are. It does not represent the gap between full benefits and the months immediately after separation, when a sailor who decided not to re-enlist is waiting for VA paperwork, looking for civilian work, and facing rent on the local market for the first time without a housing allowance.

And it does not represent the older veteran population — the Vietnam-era and Korean War veterans, many of them on fixed Social Security and partial VA benefits — who make up a significant share of the 50,000-plus county total. For those households, a food drive is not a feel-good event. It is grocery money for the month.

That is the gap the May 9 dropoff event is designed to close, even just for one weekend. The Edmonds Food Bank’s veteran-targeted distribution runs year-round; the May 9 event is a restocking surge.

How This Connects to Other Veteran Services in Snohomish County

If you are a Navy family member, a veteran, or a civilian neighbor who wants to do more than drop off a bag of canned goods on May 9, here is the broader landscape of resources that the dropoff event sits inside.

Veteran benefits and claims help in Snohomish County is provided through several channels: the Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program at the Robert J. Drewel Building in Everett, the VA Puget Sound Health Care System’s Everett clinic which began seeing patients in February 2025, and monthly visits by VBA service officers. The schedule of in-person VA claims help in Everett changed in February 2026 when VFW service officer hours at the Everett Vet Center were reduced — coverage of the current options is available here and the complete 2026 guide is here.

Memorial Day 2026 services in Snohomish County are scheduled for Monday, May 25, with American Legion Post 181 in Lake Stevens hosting one of the most well-attended ceremonies in the county. A practical guide to Memorial Day events for military families and veterans new to Everett — including Tahoma National Cemetery, the County Eternal Flame at the Drewel Building, and the Lake Stevens, Floral Hills, and Evergreen ceremonies — is available here. The May 9 dropoff event is timed to land before Memorial Day, when public attention to veteran issues briefly peaks.

NAVSTA Everett family resources — including the Fleet & Family Support Center at 425-304-3735 and the SAPR 24/7 line at 425-754-5977 — exist for active-duty families currently homeported at the base. The Fleet & Family Support Center coverage is here. These are different services than what the May 9 dropoff event supports, which is primarily aimed at veterans who have left active duty and the older veteran population, but they are part of the same ecosystem.

What to Bring, What Not to Bring

Based on the event announcement and the standard practice of veteran-serving food drives:

Bring: non-perishable food in original sealed packaging, unopened hygiene products, sealed packs of disposable diapers, clean lightly used spring/summer clothing, new socks and underwear in package, cash, checks made out to “American Legion Food Drive,” and worn American flags for proper retirement.

Do not bring: opened or expired food, used hygiene products, used socks or underwear, heavy winter coats (the request is specifically spring and summer clothing), perishables that need refrigeration without coordinating in advance, or items the announcement did not list.

If in doubt, the post information line is 833-924-4636.

The Bigger Pattern: How Veteran Service Organizations Bridge a Gap Federal Programs Cannot

The federal veteran benefits system — VA health care, disability compensation, GI Bill education benefits, VA home loans, VA pension — is the largest and most comprehensive veteran support apparatus in the world. Snohomish County veterans access it through the VA Puget Sound system, the VBA regional office in Seattle, and a network of accredited service officers.

What that system does not do well is provide groceries on a Tuesday afternoon when the rent is due Friday. That is the niche American Legion posts, VFW posts, food banks, and community partners like the Heroes’ Café have always filled. The May 9 dropoff event is a representative example of how that informal network operates: a venue donated by a local business, two veteran service organizations organizing the drive, a food bank running the distribution, and a community gathering space helping with reach.

The Edmonds-area community — and the broader Snohomish County community within driving distance of downtown Edmonds — has a low-effort, high-impact way to participate this Saturday. The barrier to entry is a bag of canned goods and a parking spot at the Red Barn between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is the Edmonds veterans dropoff event on May 9, 2026?

The event is Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wilcox Construction Red Barn, located at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Maple Street in downtown Edmonds, Washington. Edmonds American Legion Post 66 and VFW Post 8870 are co-hosting.

What items are being collected at the May 9 Edmonds veteran food and hygiene drive?

The event is collecting non-perishable food (routed to the Edmonds Food Bank for distribution to veterans), personal hygiene items including deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, lotion, body wash, and sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, lightly used or new spring and summer clothing, new socks and underwear, cash and credit/debit donations, checks made out to “American Legion Food Drive,” and used American flags in need of proper retirement.

Who runs the May 9 dropoff event?

The event is co-hosted by Edmonds American Legion Post 66, with Post Commander Dan Mullene, and VFW Post 8870, with Post Commander Duane Bowman. The venue is donated by Wilcox Construction, whose president is Matt Lessard. The Edmonds Food Bank handles food distribution, and Lynnwood Heroes’ Café representatives assist with distribution.

How can I make a financial donation if I cannot attend the May 9 event in person?

Cash and credit/debit card donations are accepted on-site at the event. Checks should be made out to “American Legion Food Drive.” For donation arrangements outside event hours, contact the post information line at 833-924-4636.

Can I drop off a worn American flag at the Edmonds dropoff event?

Yes. American Legion Post 66 will accept used American flags in need of proper retirement and disposal. American Legion posts are authorized under flag code protocol to perform formal flag retirement ceremonies, which is the legally and traditionally correct way to dispose of a U.S. flag that is no longer fit for display.

How does the May 9 dropoff event fit with other Snohomish County veteran services?

The dropoff event provides immediate-need supplies — food, hygiene, clothing — through the Edmonds Food Bank’s veteran distribution channel. It is complementary to the formal VA benefits system accessed through VA Puget Sound’s Everett clinic, the Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program at the Drewel Building, and accredited VSO claims help. The dropoff event addresses the day-to-day gap that federal benefits do not always cover, especially for older veterans on fixed incomes and for veterans in transition from active duty to civilian life.

Are veterans the only people who can donate at the May 9 event?

No. The event is a community drive open to all donors. Civilian neighbors, businesses, and community members are encouraged to participate. The 50,000-plus Snohomish County veteran population is the beneficiary; the donor base is intentionally the broader community.

Why does the food go through the Edmonds Food Bank instead of directly to veterans?

The Edmonds Food Bank already operates a year-round veteran-targeted distribution program with intake, eligibility verification, and ongoing client relationships. Routing the May 9 donations through the food bank ensures the items reach veterans who are already enrolled in assistance, that the distribution is equitable, and that the volume is matched to actual demand. It also extends the impact beyond a single Saturday — the supplies feed into the food bank’s stockroom and are distributed over the following weeks as veterans request assistance.