Homeless and at-risk veterans will have access to a one-stop shop of services this week. The Maricopa County StandDown event is designed to help former members of the military and to increase community awareness about the problems they sometimes face.

Maricopa County Justice of the Peace Gerald Williams says one of the goals for the event is to lift whatever is keeping a veteran from obtaining a valid driver’s license. That includes throwing out any arrest warrants.

"Often people who are homeless — especially homeless veterans —  don’t seek help for fear that they will be arrested if they access government services," Williams said.

Williams says legal help isn’t the only thing available at StandDown. Other services include pet care, medical help and housing assistance. He says an event like this allows vets to get all the help they need in one location that’s accessible by public transit. He says it can turn a vet’s life around and even result in employment.

StandDown, a two-day event, begins at 8 a.m. Thursday at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.