Social services are available to veterans in the Syracuse area, yet locating and accessing help can remain challenging-particularly when needs span multiple systems and eligibility requirements are unclear. The goal of this project was to create a brief, pocket-sized resource guide that can be distributed to area veterans and used quickly "in the moment": to identify actionable supports.

The guide organizes services into 12 categories: accessing veterans' benefits; mental and physical healthcare; education benefits; financial services; housing; nutritional support; legal services; documentation resources; technology access; and peer support. Within each category, the guide provides a curated, limited set of local resources to reduce information overload. Each entry includes the providing organization, contact information, a concise description of services, and any key requirements for access.

Design choices were informed by basic psychological principles intended to increase the likelihood of uptake and sustained use. Because military personnel commonly rely on small field guides for directions and essential information, the guide was designed to intentionally resemble a military-style field guide (size, cover, and format). This approach leverages priming and familiarity to support quick recognition and perceived utility. A localized adaptation is the use of Syracuse orange and blue-recognizable regional branding intended to convey trust and relevance for area veterans.

To extend accessibility and ensure content remains current, the physical guide includes a QR code linking to a master online resource list that can be updated as services change. This dual-format strategy supports both veterans who prefer a tangible "carry": resource and community partners who may need immediate, shareable access without distributing additional printed copies.