This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Close to 90 homeless families and veterans showed up Monday for the first-ever Ogden Homeless Stand Down at Catholic Community Services of Northern Utah. Catholic Community Services worked with the Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Salt Lake City to sponsor the Stand Down, the name typically used for events that connect homeless veterans with community services. "We decided to open it up for anyone who is homeless," said Marcie Valdez, director of the Ogden charity. "It's so difficult to just get through the day, let alone know where to go for help." About 90 families had visited through midafternoon, of those people 15 were veterans, she said. They learned about 20 community organizations that offer help, and received clothing vouchers, blankets, tarps, laundry soap, hygiene kits and bags of food, Valdez said. Pictured is Eugene Morris, a Vietnam War veteran.