JVS SoCal’s Supervisorial District 5 Veterans Peer Access Network (VPAN) team in Palmdale was recognized as the District of the Year by the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative, which brings together community groups and organizations who work on behalf of former members of the armed forces. Among those recognized individually were Program Manager Jimmy Guevara, program supervisor for the VPAN team.
Guevara explained that the VPAN team reaches out to fellow veterans at different community events to provide or help access services such as housing support, career and employment services, mental health care, and any other services needed. The Antelope Valley team is comprised of veterans who help their peers navigate the system so they can get the services they’ve earned.
“So, for them to see how much work they’re putting in day in and day out, it just shows how much their effort is getting noticed,” adds Guevara. “A lot of our peers that come into this work don’t do it for recognition, but they do it because they know what it’s like not to have those resources.”
The Antelope Valley office brings services to over 800 veterans in the area, whether they’ve been in combat or are transitioning to civil society from other military roles or service.
“We have to be there for both, where we’re still trying to take care of our older veterans because they have different needs, maybe some higher medical needs and some more financial struggles versus our younger veterans, who are transitioning out and they’re going through different types of mental health challenges with the transition and different types of financial struggles,” said Guevara.
Our VPAN team members rely on their lived experience to understand the different issues that face those they serve. They have faced the same challenges as others and have experienced the different attitudes that fellow veterans show when looking for help.
“I’m here to work with you to show you what, how to get to wherever you need to get to,” explains Guevara. “Now you have a guide for yourself to guide others the same way and in a positive light as well.”
Guevara compares the services his office gives to his fellow veterans to the 411-telephone service, as they connect veterans and their families to the different services they need. He would love to help his team to also become community leaders, transitioning their experience in the military to serve them.
“I want them to be the new leaders of the community,” comments Guevara. “These are the type of leaders that we need in the community in charge of like nonprofits or for profits, whichever side you want to be on for the works… because these are the individuals that could see already like: ‘Hey, I know what that looks like.’”
Also recognized were Jessica Zarley and Hector Arroyo, Housing Navigators, both part of our Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. SSVF is designed to provide supportive services to low-income veteran families at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness by helping families secure stable housing.
Zarley was recognized as the Community Partner of the Year and Arroyo as the Creative Solution of the Quarter in a ceremony held at Bob Hope’s Patriotic Hall in Los Angeles.
The District 5 office serves the Antelope Valley area, Santa Clarita, Burbank, Pasadena, South Pasadena, Laverne, San Dimas, Monrovia and Arcadia.
If you’d like to see JVS SoCal continue to give award-winning service to our veterans, please donate now.