Athens Area Stand Down
Friday, October 3, 2025 | Athens County (Ohio) Fairgrounds | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Thank you Sponsors, Vendors and Volunteers!
Please click here to register as a vendor or volunteer this year
Vendors - We will provide tables and chairs this year for under the Noah Cox Pavilion.
Thank you for the New Donated Items!
If donating more than 50 of any single item (e.g. a box of hand warmers/gloves/detergent)
Please click here to let us know of what and how many so we can update our wish list
Donations Appreciated! Go here to be directed to our monetary donation page at the Athens Foundation Thanks!
The Organization
Our first stand down event was in 2016. In our 8th year now, we recently took steps to formally incorporate the Athens Area Stand Down! So as of June 2023, we are officially the Athens Area Stand Down Association of Ohio (dba Athens Area Stand Down)! The driving force of the decision was to make it easier for the organization to apply for and receive grants to support our mission of providing items and resources to homeless and near homeless people in the Athens County, Ohio and surrounding counties.
Our Officers:
George McCarthy, President
Terry St. Peter, Vice President
Kathy Hecht, Treasurer
Heather Figueroa, Secretary
Thanks to Tom Abrahamson who has helped us accomplish this task as well as donated his time to help us apply for and obtain our non-profit status!
Although we are now officially incorporated our mission has stayed the same. We appreciate all the community support and volunteers who help put the annual event on. And the veterans and other community members sincerely appreciate it as well!
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Donations of any amount are appreciated! Checks can be made payable to “Athens Area Stand Down” and send to:
Athens Area Stand Down
Treasurer, Kathy Hecht
94 Second Street
Athens, OH 45701
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Thank you!
History
2023
And Beyond
2023 will be our 8th annual Athens Area Stand Down event! We've helped approximately 2100 people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless get through the winter months. It is only possible with the help of the volunteers and businesses which continue to help the cause every year!
2020
COVID
2020 threw the Athens Area Stand Down a curve ball but didn't stop the event. But instead of having people walk threw the event, the next two years participants drove through while volunteers loaded the vehicles with donated items.
2016
First Stand Down
Judge George McCarthy was invited by Veteran John Matheny and the Plains VFW Post 7174 to attend the Ross County Stand Down event in Chillicothe. Judge McCarthy had just started a Veterans Treatment Court just a year earlier. After seeing Veterans from Athens County travel there for the event, they thought that Athens should have a similar event. So after getting community members involved the first event was held in 2016.
