United Way of Southern Nevada is beefing up its Deseret Industries Move-In Voucher Program, bringing two more nonprofits into the fight to keep people from slipping back into homelessness. East Valley Family Services and Lighthouse Charities are the newest partners helping distribute vouchers and volunteer-built “move-in kits” to Clark County families settling into fresh housing.
According to United Way of Southern Nevada, the program is funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and administered by UWSN, pairing vouchers for home goods with kits of essentials to clear early hurdles to setting up a household. The move-in kits, which contain toiletries, cleaning supplies and basic kitchen and dining items, are assembled by volunteers and stored with Clark County Social Services. They are then delivered alongside case management support so families are not left to navigate those first days on their own.
As reported by Nevada Business Magazine, East Valley Family Services and Lighthouse Charities were announced as the newest nonprofit partners, joining existing collaborators including Catholic Charities, HELP of Southern Nevada and The Just One Project. The announcement also put out a call to corporate partners to roll up their sleeves, inviting companies to host volunteer events and donate supplies to help fill out those move-in kits and support rapid rehousing efforts.
How agencies and clients access support
Agencies that operate rapid-rehousing or Operation HOME! programs must request vouchers on behalf of clients, and UWSN reviews those requests daily before sending electronic vouchers to participating partners, as per United Way of Southern Nevada. Clients are typically nominated by case managers once they are in stable housing, so the vouchers and kits land with households that have just crossed the threshold into a new unit. Participating organizations are required to meet the documentation standards outlined on UWSN's program page.
Where vouchers can be spent
Vouchers can be used only at Deseret Industries thrift stores in the Las Vegas area, which stock furniture, bedding and other household basics. The Deseret Industries location listings confirm the stores serving the valley, and UWSN coordinates with those outlets so recipients can choose items that fit their specific household needs. The vouchers are structured to help newly housed families furnish and supply a unit without facing immediate out-of-pocket costs.
How to help
United Way is asking companies, community groups and individual volunteers to get involved with kit-building events and donations, with contact details included in the announcement from Nevada Business Magazine. Agencies that want to participate in the voucher program can apply through UWSN's program page, and volunteers can reach United Way at [email protected] to set up kit drives. Organizers say the paired voucher-and-kit approach helps strip away the everyday obstacles that too often push newly housed households back into crisis.
