Dec. 20--Los Angeles is hosting what is being billed as the largest "Stand Down" for homeless and hard-luck military veterans to ever take place in the country.
The three-day relief effort got underway Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center and brings together dozens of government agencies, nonprofits and volunteers to provide veterans with a variety of health and social services.
As many as 2,000 homeless area veterans are expected to participate in the event, which was organized by Los Angeles-based U.S. Vets, the nation's largest nonprofit devoted to homeless and at-risk veterans.
President Obama and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti have pledged to get every veteran off the street by the end of 2015. Los Angeles County has the largest number of homeless veterans in the nation, more than 4,000.
A large coalition of volunteers, nonprofits and government agencies will provide food, clothing, healthcare, legal services, sobriety support groups, showers, haircuts and overnight accomodations during the annual event.
carlos.lozano@latimes.com
