LA County and YMCA partner to bring veterans services into Y centers

The Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles announced a partnership to deliver veterans services inside Y Community Well‑Being Centers, the agencies said.

Under the agreement, MVA’s Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN) will hold regular outreach days at Y centers; VPAN navigators and Veterans Service Organization representatives will provide benefits screenings, referrals and follow‑up on site.

The Y will add food assistance, veteran‑focused wellness and peer groups, membership access, family programs and volunteer placements; in a single visit a veteran; housed or unhoused; can get help with benefits, groceries, membership, a peer group and a path to serve the community, the agencies said.

“The YMCA has a long history of supporting our service members, veterans, and their families, and this partnership is a meaningful extension of that commitment,” Victor Dominguez, President & CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, said. “As the Center for Community Well‑Being, we are proud to partner with LA County to make essential resources and services more accessible while creating opportunities for veterans to stay connected, build relationships, and continue making a difference through volunteerism and community engagement. Our veterans have given so much in service to others, and the Y is a place where they can find support, belonging, and new opportunities to serve and lead in their communities.”

“Too many veterans miss out on earned benefits because they don’t understand what’s available or the process feels overwhelming,” Jim Zenner, MVA director and U.S. Army veteran, said. “Working with the Y means more veterans can talk with a VPAN peer who knows military life firsthand, listens to what they need and guides them through the process of accessing the right resources. As we honor those who served this Veterans Day, we reaffirm our year‑round commitment to ensuring veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned and have what they need to thrive here in LA County.”

The partnership launches at 11 Y centers: North Valley Family YMCA; Mid Valley YMCA; West Valley Family YMCA; Hollywood YMCA; Santa Clarita Valley Family YMCA; Crowell Family YMCA; Pasadena‑Sierra Madre YMCA; Ann & Steven Hinchliffe San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA; Wilmington Family YMCA; Burbank YMCA; and Antelope Valley Family YMCA.

Los Angeles County is home to nearly 200,000 veterans, and the agencies said many never connect to the county services available to them.

MVA will provide warm referrals to the Department of Public Social Services for CalFresh and to the Department of Mental Health’s Veterans and Military Family Services, the agencies said. Veterans and military families can learn more at ymcala.org/la-county-department-military-veterans-affairs/.

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