U.S.VETS

What an incredible showcase of community support at the Las Vegas Veterans Stand Down, a one-stop venue where, "we say yes to everything," says outreach coordinator Louie Borrayo, an Air Force veteran. U.S.VETS - Las Vegas served 632 veterans in one day at the resource fair in its 18th year! The team helped 22 veterans in need obtain temporary housing and assisted seven veterans who were at risk of losing housing. Seven more veterans found employment on the spot, while another 15 are in background checks for jobs. More than 200 service providers came together to assist veterans with everything from legal aid to VA services, clothing, food, mental health counseling, haircuts, health screenings, and much more. A big thank you to major sponsors KTNV Channel 13 Action News—spreading the word about the event and raising more than $5,000 for veterans—Credit One Bank, Sysco and Veteran Benefits Guide, and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, which provided invaluable in-kind support. Watch the coverage: https://lnkd.in/gXWJbd3H #servingthosewhoserved #honorusvets #veteransstanddown

Planting seeds of hope. That’s what’s taking root at the U.S.VETS Wai'anae Civic Center shelter. We’re working together with Bayer Hawaii, The Home Depot and Seminis—part of Vegetables by Bayer—to support community members who are unhoused or at-risk of becoming homeless with an extensive new vegetable garden. More than fresh food, the leafy expanse is “a place of healing, empowerment, and community for the families we serve,” says U.S.VETS Wai’anae Executive Director Tanya Brown. Sending a huge mahalo to our partners, including Bayer’s incredible support of 450 volunteer hours, 24 tons of gravel, 10 tons of soil and a brand-new irrigation system. This is a major step in our therapeutic program, helping our clients reconnect with the ‘āina as they continue their journey toward healing and rehabilitation. More here: https://lnkd.in/gCuiq9iq #honorusvets #servingthosewhoserved #SeedsofHope #CommunitySupport

Financial necessity drew Kathy Cash to the Army. A college student out of high school, Cash abandoned that path when her father was laid off from a job and she struggled to cover tuition on her own. She joined the Army in 1983 and became a food service specialist in a combat aviation battalion primarily made up of men. She hoped apprenticeship training in the service would prepare her to open a restaurant in civilian life, but she says the few women in her unit didn’t get assignments leading to skills and certifications. They sliced cake in the mess hall and cleaned, while men handled the bulk of cooking duties, honing their craft. After her service, Cash started over and took jobs that covered her bills, but she says she needed guidance with benefits and next steps in civilian life. “I went to the VA for help and a person there said, ‘You’re not a veteran,’” Cash recalls. "I said, ‘OK,’ and went on about my life not realizing that the challenges and struggles that I was having were due to what happened in the military.” A friend, a fellow veteran, helped her connect to VA benefits, and ever since she's supported and encouraged other veterans in their journeys. A Doctor of Divinity, Cash is a pastor for an online ministry and sought-after motivational speaker. She's also a retired veteran peer specialist who leads groups across Los Angeles and has attended programs through U.S.VETS’ Women Vets on Point for years. She’s an American Legion commander of LA's Jackie Robinson Post 252 and serves as chaplain of The American Legion, Department of California. “My personal mission is to make sure no other veteran, especially a woman veteran, goes through what I went through,” says Cash. Doubt follows her still, and she says people seem surprised to learn she's a veteran. “A lot of women veterans don’t feel they are worthy because they didn’t retire from the military or achieve a high rank. They’ll say, ‘Those benefits are for other people,’” Cash says. “I remind them, ‘You stood there like everybody else, raised your hand and pledged your oath of service, and you served.’” #servingthosewhoserved #honorusvets #womenshistorymonth?#womenveterans

“I really feel homelessness among veterans is an epidemic, it’s a pandemic, it’s an emergency,” U.S.VETS President and CEO Darryl Vincent told leaders during a Veterans Employment & Education Commission session exploring solutions to veteran homelessness at The American Legion Washington D.C. Conference. “I really wish they would declare that, and we could end it within two or three years,” he added, noting that likely wasn’t realistic. Panelists agreed it’s not just a matter of building homes, but also addressing issues like workforce development, health care, both physical and mental, and more. The takeaway encouraged community leaders to use their voice to influence how local and state funding is used and to advocate to sway decision making. The panel, moderated by Mark Walker of Swords to Plowshares, featured the NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS VETERANS and U.S. Department of Labor, among other agencies and organizations. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e84kGbRr #ServingThoseWhoServed #HONORUSVETS

The recently launched House Our Vets initiative in LA brings together U.S.VETS with partners including U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Los Angeles City Mayor, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors - LACountyBOS and the HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES (HACLA) with the shared goal of housing veterans faster. The effort cuts the time it takes for veterans to qualify for and receive housing vouchers, in addition to making it easier for housing providers and landlords to rent to them. If you are a property owner in Los Angeles, we encourage you to open your rental properties to veterans. Get guaranteed rent and dedicated support while providing a veteran with a safe and stable home. Email [email protected] or visit https://lnkd.in/gs5E3yXs for more information. #houseourvets ??#servingthosewhoserved #honorusvets

“This is what a veteran looks like,” quipped U.S.VETS’ Rocio Palmero at an LA premiere of?"The Six Triple Eight," a film about the largest unit of Black women serving overseas during WWII. Palmero, a Marine veteran who leads Women Vets on Point as program coordinator, was among nine real-life heroes chosen for glamour & valor makeovers and red-carpet appearances with IPSY and Netflix as part of the film’s release. They were treated to surprise appearances from the film’s stars,?Kerry Washington and Ebony Obsidian! #Servingthosewhoserved #HonorUSVETS #WomensHistoryMonth #WomenVeterans

Assembling a brighter future! What a thrill for President and CEO Darryl Vincent to join Northrop Grumman senior leadership and help spread the word about the power of volunteerism in our communities. Darryl met with company executives, including CEO Kathy Warden and Agartha Larbi, VP of Global Corporate Social Responsibility, to talk about building stronger teams through giving back to those in need. As part of the day, execs participated in a service project, putting together hundreds of portable solar chargers they later delivered to U.S.VETS — Washington D.C. for homeless veterans. #servingthosewhoserved #honorusvets #volunteerism #leadership

Sometimes it hits Krystal Rains hard, the way a conversation pushes her to places she hasn’t explored in years. The Air Force veteran served in the ’80s and was 17 when she entered basic training. “At that time, if we were subverting cultural norms and going into the military, something pushed us to do it,” she says. “I was getting out of a really messed up home.” In the Air Force, Rains says she “felt productive. I was appreciated. I was given more respect than you’d expect for my age.” When she was 19, a commanding officer brought her in front of a group of pilots to explain a debriefing process she designed to improve flight operations. Rains became an expert technician and communicator working on A-10A “warthogs,” low-flying aircraft designed for close support of ground forces. Rains attends meetings and events through Women Vets on Point, a U.S.VETS-led program organized by women veterans for women veterans. “There was a real poignant conversation about how women veterans, we really go hard on one-upping each other. We’ve been the only woman on a shift or in a platoon and we’ve always had to prove ourselves,” she says. “This doesn’t serve each other well, and it brought up a lot of complicated feelings for me.” She says she draws on counseling and help from meditative therapies to push through. “I’ve been really impressed with the offerings at Women Vets on Point,” she adds, noting a recent highlight of a Battle Boutique where she found a new outfit and mingled with other women veterans. Rains—who also worked in a civilian aerospace job on the Defense Support Program—says after 9/11, she struggled with earlier traumas and her anxiety and complex post-traumatic stress disorder worsened. She met with VA doctors and developed skills in mindfulness, Reiki and nature. She’s now a certified peer specialist and volunteers doing outreach to help women veterans in need. “I’m interested in how we create a women’s space that is supportive and equitable and nurturing,” she says. #WomensHistoryMonth #ServingThoseWhoServed #HONORUSVETS #womenveterans

A new Wounded Warrior Project Warrior Survey of America’s post-9/11 wounded, ill and injured veterans and service members underscores the importance of quality healthcare, peer connections, social networks and financial wellbeing—cornerstones of U.S.VETS’ work as a partner and grant recipient. The survey unpacks how different factors impact veterans’ quality of life, from mental health struggles to financial instability, with high rates reported for sleep problems (82%), anxiety (80%), depression (76%), post-traumatic stress disorder (76%) migraines or chronic headaches (55%) and underemployment (36%). More than one in 10 are survivors of military sexual trauma, including about half of all women and 3% of men. In partnership over the last year, U.S.VETS served 2,700 post-9/11 veterans, including more than 500 women veterans in specialized programs, providing therapeutic communities with outreach, mental health counseling, employment guidance, life-skill classes, peer mentoring and community support activities. Learn more about the survey: https://lnkd.in/gqHdsutj #ServingThoseWhoServed #HONORUSVETS

President and CEO Darryl Vincent was live in the studio with KHON2 News discussing the fight against veteran homelessness and how U.S.VETS is making a difference across the nation. Don’t miss this important conversation about how we can all support those who served through prevention and intentional work in our communities. "Let’s not wait until someone is at their very worst to bring them our best," Vincent said. #HONORUSVETS #ServingThoseWhoServed U.S.VETS Barber's Point U.S.VETS Wai'anae https://lnkd.in/gVXX9DJh