Antelope Valley Family YMCA is one of the Pilot Program locations.

LOS ANGELES (November 11, 2026) — To honor Veterans Day, the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles (YMCA LA) and the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (MVA) announced a new partnership that brings county veteran services directly into Y Community Well-Being Centers across the region.

Los Angeles County is home to nearly 200,000 veterans, one of the largest veteran populations of any county in the nation. Many never connect to the county services available to them. Benefits are spread across multiple agencies, many veterans don’t know what they qualify for, and some are reluctant to ask for help. The partnership addresses that gap by meeting veterans where they already live, work out, and bring their families, with fellow veterans there to guide them.

Through the partnership, MVA's Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN), a network of veterans helping veterans, 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 adds food assistance, wellness and peer groups, membership access, family programs, and volunteer opportunities. In a single visit, a veteran (housed and unhoused) can get help with benefits, groceries, a path to Y membership, a peer group, and a way to serve their community.

“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,” said Victor Dominguez, President & CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. “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,” said Jim Zenner, MVA director and U.S. Army veteran. “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.”

Five Ways the Partnership Serves Veterans

Outreach and Benefits Navigation: VPAN and Veterans Service Organization outreach days at Y centers, with benefits screenings, referrals, and follow-up.

Food Security: A veteran referral pathway into Feed LA, the Y's food assistance program, with priority intake and CalFresh coordination.

Volunteerism: Volunteer placements in Y Youth Sports, Youth Institute, Youth and Government, and Feed LA, through MVA's With Your Shield transition program.

Wellness: Veteran-focused fitness and peer groups that complement VA and Department of Mental Health services.

Healthy Living Access: Membership access for veteran and military families, with free and reduced-cost options under review.

MVA will also 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.

Pilot Sites

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.

Veterans and military families can learn more at: ymcala.org/la-county-department-military-veterans-affairs/

Contacts

LA County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

Ashley Cohen, ACohen@mva.lacounty.gov, (213) 824-5455

YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles

Christina Bragg, christinabragg@ymcala.org, (213) 440-8643

Sarah Angel, sarah@joancollaborative.com, (818) 693-0967