Nye County social services fair connects residents with 54 vendors

Nye County Health and Human Services turned the Bob Ruud Community Center into a one-stop stop on May 6, and the turnout showed how many families in Pahrump are still trying to find help with basic needs. The 11th Annual Pahrump Social Services Fair drew 165 residents and brought together 54 vendors, a mix that made the event less like a showcase and more like a practical map of the county’s gaps in housing, food access, health care, benefits, and legal support.

The fair ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 150 Highway 160 and was promoted as a free event connecting residents with local and state resources. Booths included Social Security, Nevada Veterans Services, Aging and Disability Services, WIC, homeless resource programs, Nevada Legal Services, the Public Guardian, USDA Rural Development, hospice care providers, NyE Communities Coalition, Nevada Outreach, and other local businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. For residents who do not know where to start when a bill, benefit, or family crisis lands on the kitchen table, that kind of concentration matters.

The crowd included families, individuals, younger people, and older adults, which reflected the broad range of needs that come through Nye County Health and Human Services. The department’s own programs include Basic Services, Long-Term Care, Medical Indigent, Ryan White Funds for HIV and AIDS, Sexual Assault Victims’ Assistance, and the CSBG Employment Incentive Program. In a county spread across desert miles, a single day with so many agencies under one roof can determine whether a resident gets directed to help at all.

HHS Director Karyn Smith said the event went smoothly and called it a huge success, crediting the work of her team. The fair also served the agencies themselves, giving staff a chance to talk with one another and build relationships that can make future referrals faster and less confusing for residents. That kind of coordination is part of the safety net too, especially when a person is moving between housing instability, medical need, and public benefits.

The fair has become a recurring fixture rather than a one-off outreach effort. County promotion said last year’s 10th annual event drew about 60 vendors, while a 2021 drive-thru version at the NyE Communities Coalition campus brought in more than 200 families and individuals. The Bob Ruud Community Center, also used for elections and other civic functions, has become one of Pahrump’s most important public gathering places, and the social services fair showed why.