Las Vegas

Executive Director Shalimar Cabrera accepts the award on behalf of U.S.VETS-Las Vegas.
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The Las Vegas Division honors U.S.VETS-Las Vegas, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving southern Nevada’s homeless veterans and their families. Accepting the award on behalf of the organization is Executive Director Shalimar Cabrera.

U.S.VETS is the nation’s largest non-profit provider of comprehensive services to homeless and at-risk veterans. Since 2001, U.S.VETS-Las Vegas has provided homeless prevention and rapid re-housing to veterans with families, employment assistance, and training to incarcerated veterans and to those recently released from incarceration. U.S.VETS-Las Vegas also provides a back-to-work program, permanent housing for chronically homeless veterans and veterans with disabilities, and long-term supportive housing for veterans with income. As a result of the training program, veterans have been hired by Cox Communications, Vons Supermarkets, Home Depot, Goodwill, and U.S.VETS-Las Vegas. The organization provides substance abuse treatment, assistance to non-custodial fathers, support to families of veterans, and re-entry services to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who have difficulty adjusting to civilian life.

In March 2013, U.S.VETS-Las Vegas held its 10th annual, two-day Veterans Stand Down. A total of 128 agencies and more than 500 volunteers organized to assist homeless and at-risk veterans in Las Vegas. The event facilitated long-term solutions for veterans by supplying meals and resources such as medical and dental services, legal advice, court services, clothing, and job opportunities. During the event, 911 veterans were served—a 32 percent increase from 2012. Of them, 16 homeless veterans were provided housing, and 17 were hired on the spot.