SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Base Point Loma Sailors spent a day with military veterans at the Veterans Village of San Diego Aug. 19.

Veterans Village serves as a rehabilitation center for homeless and mentally wounded service members. The volunteers helped out by serving food and speaking with veterans.

"The idea to get a group of Sailors to interact with the veterans came up at Naval Base Point Loma's chapel," said Religious Program Specialist 1st Class Travis Hidnell, Point Loma community relations projects coordinator. "So we set up a team that would work in shifts where half of the team serves food, while the others sit and interact with the veterans. This way everyone gets the benefit of interacting with the veterans and serving them."

Damage Controlman Fireman Kimbralee Winslow said she did not know what to expect when she first arrived, but knew that she wanted to help and hear some of the life stories the veterans had to share.

"Everyone likes to have a person to talk to," said Winslow. "These are veterans who ran into difficult times after they got out and just need a little help to move them back on track. If a few Sailors helping serve food and listening to their stories helps them back on their feet in any way then it's worth the visit."

Michael Stowe is a food service manager at Veterans Village of San Diego and is also a success story of the program. He said the time Sailors take out of their day to come by has a huge, positive impact on the veterans.

"The veterans love it when the Sailors visit, it's great" said Stowe. "It shows these guys that the military hasn't forgotten about them, and it helps the veterans give back to the actively serving service members by sharing their stories. It's a win-win situation."

Operations Specialist 3rd Class Ranette Bryant said everyone who volunteered took home with them a unique experience they will never forget.

"You can relate to all the stress and difficulties these veterans are going through," she said. "It's really an eye opener. It's encouraging to know that if we ever go through a dark time in our life we have a place like Veterans Village to come to and help us."

Veterans Village of San Diego, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1981 to give homeless and mentally wounded veterans a chance to get back on their feet with its "No One Left Behind" creed.