Veterans Day in Houston: Free Meals, a Barbecue Plate and Year-Round Help for More Than 300,000 Veterans
The ceremony is at 10 and the parade at 11:30 - but for Houston's 300,000-plus veterans the day also runs on free plates, a kolache, a buffet from 4 p.m., and help that does not end when the holiday does.
Wednesday is Veterans Day, and in Houston that is a celebration of more than 300,000 retired and active-duty service members, according to Courier Texas's Houston guide, read in full by this desk. The city's own commemoration begins at 10 a.m. at City Hall, where former Ambassador to Qatar Chase Untermeyer delivers the keynote address, followed by a moment of silence and the parade across downtown - the events today's weather and traffic files cover. This file is the other half of the day: what is on the table, literally, for the people being honoured.
The offers run from national chains to Houston institutions. Courier Texas lists free wings at Buffalo Wild Wings, a free entree at California Pizza Kitchen and a free meal at Chili's among the chains, and, among local establishments, a free two-meat barbecue plate at Feges BBQ, a free kolache from Kolache Shoppe and 50 percent off at Molina's Cantina. The Houston Press and CultureMap roundups count more than 40 Houston-area restaurants taking part, most requiring a valid military ID: Bombshells offers a free meal - appetizer, entree and dessert - at its seven Houston-area locations, with family members at 20 percent off, and donates $1 from every order of its fried pickle Bayonets throughout November to the PTSD Foundation of America's Camp Hope; Golden Corral hosts its 26th annual Military Appreciation Night from 4 p.m. to close, with a free buffet and beverage.
The guide is careful, and this desk is too: offers are as each restaurant states them, they are generally for Wednesday only, dine-in conditions and exclusions apply at several of them, and veterans and active-duty members should be prepared to show ID. Anyone set on a specific table should confirm the offer with that location before heading out in today's rain.
The part of the file that outlasts the holiday is the resources list. Camp Hope, in Northwest Houston, is a free interim housing program offering combat veterans and their families a six-to-nine-month stay with mental health resources and family support. The Fort Bend Veteran Food Distribution passes out free groceries once a month and connects veterans with employment opportunities, housing options and mental health resources. The Harris County Public Library connects veterans to a benefits and programs database through its veterans resources hub. And for anyone who cannot make today's celebrations, Cycle of Humanity hosts a community wellness and resource event on Thursday, November 12, with free food and drinks and resources including benefits assistance and medical care options.
