Veterans Stand Together

Empowering Our Community

South Gate, CA | http://usavest.org

Mission

Our mission is to support Veterans in overcoming homelessness, PTSD, substance abuse, and unemployment by guiding them toward positive, sustainable outcomes. Through vocational training delivered through our own programs, community partners, and workforce opportunities, we empower Veterans to achieve stability, independence, and purpose. Using our proprietary Milestone system, we educate and connect Veterans to existing and prospective benefits while providing structured, wraparound support. By leveraging every available resource, we strengthen Veterans, their families, and the communities they serve.

Ruling year info

2020

Founder/Executive Director

George Casillas

CAO/Board Member

Mark Treston

Main address

9836 Atlantic Ave

South Gate, CA 90280-5219 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

47-5330369

Subject area info

Human services

Economic development

Women's services

Job creation and workforce development

Job counseling

Show more subject areas

Population served info

Incarcerated people

Veterans

Military personnel

Homeless people

Low-income people

Show more populations served

NTEE code info

Military/Veterans' Organizations (W30)

IRS subsection

501(c)(3) Public Charity

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Tax forms

Show Forms 990

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Veterans face interconnected challenges including homelessness, unemployment, untreated PTSD, substance use, and limited access to earned benefits. These issues are often worsened by fragmented systems, lack of coordinated support, and barriers to workforce entry. We aim to close these gaps by providing structured, Veteran-centered case management, vocational training, workforce pathways, and benefits navigation. Through coordinated services and our proprietary Milestone system, we track progress, address barriers early, and support sustainable outcomes. By focusing on prevention, accountability, and long-term stability, we empower Veterans to achieve independence while strengthening families and communities.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Job Training

Empowering Veterans and their communities through cooperation, support, and advocacy by providing educational activities.

Population(s) Served

General population

Case managment

Our Case Management program provides structured, Veteran-centered support designed to guide Veterans from initial engagement through long-term stability and self-sufficiency. Each Veteran is assigned a dedicated Case Manager who conducts comprehensive intakes, assesses immediate and long-term needs, and develops an individualized service plan aligned with the Veteran’s goals. Using our proprietary Milestone system, Case Managers track progress across housing stability, employment, education, benefits access, and wellness, ensuring accountability and measurable outcomes. Case Managers serve as advocates and navigators, connecting Veterans to internal programs, community partners, workforce opportunities, and eligible benefits while reducing barriers to access. Through consistent follow-ups, coordination of care, and trauma-informed support, our Case Management approach empowers Veterans to make informed decisions, build resilience, and achieve sustainable positive outcomes for themselve

Population(s) Served

General population

VA Benefits Linkage Workshop

The VA Benefits Linkage Workshop is a free monthly workshop that helps Veterans and their families understand and access the benefits and services they’ve earned. Participants receive hands-on assistance with VA benefits, housing resources, employment opportunities, and supportive services, all in one place at no cost.

Population(s) Served

General population

Professional Security Officer Training

Professional Security Officer Training is a comprehensive workforce development program designed to prepare participants for immediate employment in the private security industry through industry-aligned instruction, hands-on training, and direct employer engagement. The program is led by experienced security professionals, instructors, and industry experts who provide real-world insight into the expectations, standards, and responsibilities of today’s security workforce. Participants receive training in key areas including powers to arrest, observation and incident reporting, patrol procedures, professionalism, communication skills, conflict resolution, de-escalation techniques, emergency response, workplace safety, and customer service. The program also incorporates employability training such as resume development, interview preparation, workplace readiness, and career coaching to support long-term success and retention. In addition to classroom instruction, participants have oppo

Where we work

California (United States)

Photos

Videos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Total # of Veteran graduates

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Job Training

Type of Metric

Other - describing something else

Direction of Success

Context Notes

A total of 174 Veterans completed our 1-week WASC-accredited Security Officer training program. Of those, 125 Veterans were successfully assisted into job placement, representing a 71.8% placement rate. The remaining Veterans continue to receive individualized case management, job search assistance, and employment support to ensure continued progress toward sustainable workforce outcomes.

Veteran Families

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Other - describing something else

Direction of Success

Context Notes

021: Veterans Stand Together served more than 800 individuals through workforce development, outreach, and supportive service programs focused on Veterans and military families. 2022: Veterans Stand Together expanded its community impact, serving over 1,000 individuals through employment assistance, resource navigation, and stabilization services. 2023: Veterans Stand Together significantly increased program reach, serving more than 2,580 individuals through workforce training, peer support, cas

Veteran Families resources

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Other - describing something else

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Referral Cases handled

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Other - describing something else

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

What is the organization aiming to accomplish?

Veterans Stand Together (VST), represents a unique organization that offers a multifaceted approach to suicide prevention in primarily homeless Veterans, and extends help to anybody with
a Veteran status. The milestone system was created to meet the Veteran at their current state. Keying in on their
immediate needs. The goal of the system is to allow the Veteran to integrate and grow into the
milestone that is within reach. Using Federal, State, and county grants and/or funding, Veterans Stand Together (VST), would utilize the appropriate grant/funding source to empower the
Veteran to achieve their next milestone. The mission of our organization is to ensure that we assist the Veteran community with finding their passion in their civilian life to ensure a more
sustainable future for themselves and their families, while being provided full supportive services. We strongly believe that keeping the Veteran focused on their goals and aligning them
to micro-achievements, will stave off stressors and triggers that could leave the Veteran in a dire condition. Suicide Prevention is the reason Veterans Stand Together was created. Our apparatus
is purely built off community partnership, advocacy, and collaboration

What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?

All VST personnel are required to become Certified Peer Support Specialists to maximize understanding and equip staff with our approach. We have noted that this specific language allows for more effective engagement within the Veteran community. The focus of our team is to be “of service” to the Veteran and to collaborate while providing short- and long-term solutions to this population. Ensuring that we bring in community partners at the right timeline of the Veteran’s Journey, allows for the Veteran to not feel overwhelmed or forced by outside pressures and unneeded stressors. Each Veteran is provided a different path to reach their next milestone based on their motivation. Our peer support team and outreach coordinators do not pressure the Veteran to accept services to speed along any process. We are constantly working with the Veteran to find their motivations, aptitudes and what drives them to complete their mission. We want to increase Veteran wellness and support self-advocacy through empowering achievements. The person that was able to succeed and thrive while they served our great country. We believe that if we can bring back that person internally, who once served, we can focus them on completing their life’s ambitions.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

We shared information about our current feedback practices.

How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve,
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded,
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection,

Financials

Veterans Stand Together

Fiscal year: Jul 01 - Jun 30

Financial documents

Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

NET GAIN/LOSS: in

Note: When component data are not available, the graph displays the total Revenue and/or Expense values.

Liquidity in 2024

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

0.25

Average of 3.82 over 4 years

Months of cash in 2024

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

0.2

Average of 2.5 over 4 years

Fringe rate in 2024

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

8%

Average of 8% over 4 years

Funding sources

Source: IRS Form 990

Assets & liabilities

Source: IRS Form 990

Financial data

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Digitizing IRS form 990 data

Veterans Stand Together

Revenue & expenses

Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

Fiscal year ending: Download Data

Revenue
Contributions	$332
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$55,540
Investments	$0
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	$55,872

Expenses
Program Services	$19,908
Administration	$0
Fundraising	$0
Total Expenses	$19,908
Net Gain/Loss	$35,964

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$0
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$167,154
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$172,917
Investments	$0
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	$340,071

Expenses
Program Services	$160,605
Administration	$166,790
Fundraising	$0
Total Expenses	$327,395
Net Gain/Loss	$12,676

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$4,480
Advertising & Promotion	$0
Information Technology Expenses	$3,278
Insurance Expenses	$0
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$2,077
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$12,500
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$425,766
Investments	$0
Special Events	$0
Sales	$0
Other	$2,991
Total Revenue	$441,257

Expenses
Program Services	$363,378
Administration	$106,759
Fundraising	$26,138
Total Expenses	$496,275
Net Gain/Loss	($55,018)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$2,963
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$2,151
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$25,358
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$532,825
Investments	$0
Special Events	$23,967
Sales	$0
Other	$14,387
Total Revenue	$596,537

Expenses
Program Services	$410,793
Administration	$113,677
Fundraising	$43,154
Total Expenses	$567,624
Net Gain/Loss	$28,913

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$0
Advertising & Promotion	$55
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$2,553
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$0
Legal Fees	$0
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Veterans Stand Together

Balance sheet

Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.

Fiscal year ending: Download Data

Assets	Jul 01, 2020	Jun 30, 2021	Change
Contributions	$332
Cash & Equivalents	$0	$15,288	$15,288
Accounts Receivable	$0	$32,345	$32,345
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Securities	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$0	$0	$0
Other	$0	($7,785)	($7,785)
Total Assets	$0	$39,848	$39,848

Liabilities	Jul 01, 2020	Jun 30, 2021	Change
Accounts Payable	$0	$3,884	$3,884
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$0	$0	$0
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$0	$0	$0
Total Liabilities	$0	$3,884	$3,884

Fund balance	Jul 01, 2020	Jun 30, 2021	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total Restricted Net Assets	$0	$0	$0
Unrestricted Net Assets	$0	$35,964	$35,964
Net Assets	$0	$35,964	$35,964

Assets	Jul 01, 2021	Jun 30, 2022	Change
Contributions	$167,154
Cash & Equivalents	$15,288	$18,928	$3,640
Accounts Receivable	$32,345	$60,251	$27,906
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$500	$500
Investment, Securities	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$0	$12,756	$12,756
Other	($7,785)	$3,000	$10,785
Total Assets	$39,848	$95,435	$55,587

Liabilities	Jul 01, 2021	Jun 30, 2022	Change
Accounts Payable	$3,884	$29,118	$25,234
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$0	$0	$0
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$0	$0	$0
Total Liabilities	$3,884	$29,118	$25,234

Fund balance	Jul 01, 2021	Jun 30, 2022	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total Restricted Net Assets	$0	$0	$0
Unrestricted Net Assets	$35,964	$66,317	$30,353
Net Assets	$35,964	$66,317	$30,353

Assets	Jul 01, 2022	Jun 30, 2023	Change
Contributions	$12,500
Cash & Equivalents	$18,928	$1,687	($17,241)
Accounts Receivable	$60,251	$9,827	($50,424)
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$500	$0	($500)
Investment, Securities	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$12,756	$11,125	($1,631)
Other	$3,000	$263,317	$260,317
Total Assets	$95,435	$285,956	$190,521

Liabilities	Jul 01, 2022	Jun 30, 2023	Change
Accounts Payable	$29,118	$11,340	($17,778)
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$0	$0	$0
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$0	$263,317	$263,317
Total Liabilities	$29,118	$274,657	$245,539

Fund balance	Jul 01, 2022	Jun 30, 2023	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total Restricted Net Assets	$0	$0	$0
Unrestricted Net Assets	$66,317	$11,299	($55,018)
Net Assets	$66,317	$11,299	($55,018)

Assets	Jul 01, 2023	Jun 30, 2024	Change
Contributions	$25,358
Cash & Equivalents	$1,687	$8,859	$7,172
Accounts Receivable	$9,827	$33,845	$24,018
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Securities	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$11,125	$8,798	($2,327)
Other	$263,317	$158,630	($104,687)
Total Assets	$285,956	$210,132	($75,824)

Liabilities	Jul 01, 2023	Jun 30, 2024	Change
Accounts Payable	$11,340	$11,290	($50)
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$0	$0	$0
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$263,317	$158,630	($104,687)
Total Liabilities	$274,657	$169,920	($104,737)

Fund balance	Jul 01, 2023	Jun 30, 2024	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total Restricted Net Assets	$0	$0	$0
Unrestricted Net Assets	$11,299	$40,212	$28,913
Net Assets	$11,299	$40,212	$28,913

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

Documents

Letter of Determination

Form 1023/1024 is not available for this organization

Founder/Executive Director

George Casillas

George Casillas a Marine Corps Veteran with over 15 years of Veteran Academic Training and job placement as an Instructor and Training Facilitator. Casillas, the co-founder of Veterans Stand Together, has designed various industry training for Veterans, including Security and Logistics Certificate programs. As a former Asset Protection Regional Director for a highly successful Fortune 500 retail company, Casillas understands the importance of delivering attainable outcomes while being fiscally responsible. Casillas has received the 2022 Los Angeles County Veteran of the Year Award from the County Board of Supervisors.

CAO/Board Member

Mark Treston

LinkedIn profile

Number of employees

Source: IRS Form 990

Veterans Stand Together

Officers, directors, trustees, and key employees

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Compensation

Other

Show data for fiscal year

Compensation data

Download up to 5 most recent years of officer and director compensation data for this organization

There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.

Veterans Stand Together

Board of directors
as of 05/29/2026

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Board of directors data

Download the most recent year of board of directors data for this organization

Board chair

Mark Treston

Alice Kong Board Member

Claudia M Dzul Dir Operations

George Casillas CEO

Mark Treston CAO

Mark Treston CAO/Board Member

Maynor Dardon Board Member

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? yes
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? yes
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? yes
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? yes
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? yes

Organizational demographics

Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx

Gender identity

Male, Not transgender

Sexual orientation

Heterosexual or Straight

Disability status

Person with a disability

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity

Multi-Racial/Multi-Ethnic (2+ races/ethnicities)

Gender identity

Male, Not transgender

Sexual orientation

Heterosexual or Straight

Veterans Stand Together

Empowering Our Community

Mission

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

Our programs

Job Training

Case managment

VA Benefits Linkage Workshop

Professional Security Officer Training

Where we work

Our results

Evaluation documents

Total # of Veteran graduates

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Veteran Families

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Veteran Families resources

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Referral Cases handled

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Our Sustainable Development Goals

Goals & Strategy

Charting impact

What is the organization aiming to accomplish?

What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?

How we listen

Financials

Financial documents

Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown

Liquidity in 2024 info

0.25

Months of cash in 2024 info

0.2

Fringe rate in 2024 info

8%

Funding sources info

Assets & liabilities info

Financial data

Digitizing IRS form 990 data

Veterans Stand Together

Veterans Stand Together

Operations

Documents

Founder/Executive Director

George Casillas

CAO/Board Member

Mark Treston

Number of employees

Veterans Stand Together

Compensation data

Veterans Stand Together

Board of directors data

Mark Treston

Board leadership practices

Board orientation and education

CEO oversight

Ethics and transparency

Board composition

Board performance

Liquidity in 2024

Months of cash in 2024

Fringe rate in 2024

Funding sources

Assets & liabilities