The center, located in Palmdale, provides information about benefits veterans are entitled to and how to apply for them. It also serves as a support network for veterans and their families.
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And it's all led by veterans, for veterans.
"We have the largest concentration of veterans anywhere in the United States in Los Angeles County. Between 250,000 and 300,000 veterans live here," said Jeff Carr, CEO of JVS SoCal. "They have a lot of benefits but a lot of times they don't know what those benefits are and don't know how to access them, and so what we use are veterans who we've hired who are peers who have experienced that themselves, and there's no one better to talk to veteran than another veteran to tell them how to follow the path they've been on themselves."
James Mumma, a Marine Corps veteran, is now working as a peer support specialist, or "battle buddy."
"We help the veteran in any way, shape or form," Mumma said, "all they have to do is walk through those doors," Mumma said.
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"It would have been nice to have this when I first got out," said veteran R'Betrice Renee Phillips. "Having it now is late but still timely because it made me aware of services that maybe hadn't been available then that I know of."
As for Mumma, once homeless, he says he personally gets a lot out of the experience:
"Nine times out of 10 when I get done helping a veteran, it's tears of joy it's a handshake it's a hug," Mumma said.