The Central New York Veterans’ Expo 2009 will be held Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the National Guard Armory, 1700 Parkway E., Utica.

The Expo, designed to "connect those in need with those who help," will feature experts who will conduct brief presentations followed by question and answer sessions, on topics of interest to veterans, their families, and all who are interested in veteran issues. Topics to be covered include: benefits, colleges, family issues, housing, health care, legal, employment, Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, and crises.

Sessions will be conducted several times throughout the day so that individuals can rotate among them, depending on their interests. Additionally, more than 90 service providers will be available throughout the day to provide resource information.

The Expo sessions are free.

At the conclusion of the event at 5 p.m., dinner will be served to veterans and their families at no charge. To pre-register, call the Small Business Development Center at 792-7547.

The Expo is supported by the Mohawk Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, the National Association of Social Workers, The Resource Center for Independent Living, and the New York State Small Business Development Center.