LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — U.S. Vets is giving again to those that served. The veteran’s companies group hosted its 18th annual “Las Vegas Stand Down” occasion, providing free companies and assets to these in want.
“One of the leading (preventative measures for) veteran suicide, veteran homelessness, (and) veteran joblessness is their ability to access their benefits,” Alexander Aldrich mentioned.
Aldrich is the Strategic Partnerships Supervisor for Veterans Profit Information, a company that helps veterans acquire their advantages.
Greater than 200 community-based organizations supplied free entry to housing help, authorized companies, scientific psychological well being companies, meals, clothes, vaccinations, job counseling, and extra.
“These are all local organizations who know they can either employ a veteran, or provide resources, or connect them to benefits,” Shalimar Cabrera, Government Director for U.S. Vets Las Vegas, mentioned. “From basic needs services like food and hygiene, all the way up to same day housing if they’re experiencing homelessness (and) employment on the spot. We have the legal courts here taking care of open legal issues.”
The occasion is every part veterans want, multi function place.
“A lot of our resources are spread throughout the city,” veteran Kristina Borrayo mentioned. “People who need these resources may not have the transportation to get from the north side of town to the south side of town to the east side.”
Borrayo is a veteran who’s now taking good care of her veteran father, who was beforehand homeless and residing out of state.
“Letting the veterans come to one location and get every single service that they could possibly need at that time is a big weight off their own shoulder,” Borrayo mentioned.
That’s very true for veterans who’re in danger or are experiencing homelessness.
“Las Vegas has a big community of homeless people and a lot of them are veterans,” veteran Michael Bradley, who enlisted within the Military in 1976, defined.
Veterans, particularly girls veterans, face better dangers of homelessness, as many face challenges transitioning from navy to civilian life.
“A veteran is 1.5 times more likely to become homeless than their non-veteran counterpart. And then for a female veteran, it’s estimated almost 4 times,” Cabrera mentioned.
With the specter of federal cuts to the VA, veterans and repair suppliers alike say entry is extra essential than ever.
“[It’s] very, very, very bad,” veteran Curtis Davis mentioned. “Very bad because right now. Veterans, we don’t have a lot of the resources that we really need right now.”
The Division of Veterans Affairs is planning to chop 83,000 jobs, slashing employment by over 17 %. The federal company offers well being look after hundreds of thousands of veterans.
“Taking out important programs that are funded by the VA disrupts that service to veterans,” Cabrera mentioned. “Anything that’s cut means that somebody is not doing an important service… Let’s not touch veterans’ services. They’re already not getting access to their benefits as they should be.”
