LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — On Wednesday, local nonprofit U.S.VETS is continuing its efforts to better the lives of our local military veterans at the 2026 Veterans Stand Down event and hiring fair.
The event connects local veterans with hundreds of community resources all in one place.
U.S.VETS is dedicated to helping end homelessness among the veteran population here in Las Vegas.
Felipe Vazquez-Reyna is just one of the many who are currently receiving help through the organization.
WATCH | Anyssa Bohanan spoke to him to learn more about the unique challenges veterans in our community face and how they can get help at this event:
"It’s actually an emotional journey of how I ended up here. I landed on the Strip, I was out there for a week surviving on my own," Vazquez-Reyna said. "I landed here Sept. 3. I remember when I came here, I cried. It’s beautiful, honestly, how much I’ve received in resources."
Many of those resources will also be available at this year's Stand Down event. More than 600 veterans attended in 2025. This year, organization leadership says, they're expecting even more.
"Everyone that’s coming, they do all the amazing things they do for the community everyday, but separate," said U.S.VETS Stand Down Chairperson Shalimar Cabrera. "It helps make access easier for the veterans."
This year's attendees will have access to a wide range of no-cost services, including legal and housing assistance, haircuts, VA benefits and enrollment support, and more.
"Some of our veterans who are coming forward for services are either being evicted from housing, or they’re already experiencing homelessness, for example, who have never even registered at the VA," Cabrera said.
And to veterans like Felipe, who at one point faced the uncertainty of the unknown, events like Stand Down hold a special meaning.
"You name it there’s a resource here for veterans," Vazquez-Reyna said.
For more information about this year's Stand Down event and how you can get help today, visit the U.S.VETS website here.
