Beneath the bright lights and busy streets of Las Vegas lies a world few ever see. Men, women, and children live in the city’s underground flood channels, hidden from public view and often forgotten. For this population, estimated to be 1,500, survival is a daily challenge, due to the inconsistent weather in the city. Between the heavy rainy days and extremely high temperatures in the summer, the residents of the tunnel struggle to make the best of each day. Access to resources is limited because it is hard for these people to make contact with those who want to help them, so organizations have stepped in to guarantee this contact is made between the underground tunnels and above-ground world. Shine A Light, a Las Vegas based nonprofit, goes directly into this hidden world with a mission to bring dignity, support, and a pathway to stability.
Founded to serve those living in the storm drains and tunnels of the city, Shine A Light is committed to bringing humanity to those living underground. Their outreach is unique, using volunteers and staff physically entering the tunnels to meet people where they live, providing food, water, toiletries, flashlights, and, most importantly, personal connection. A veteran volunteer, Bryan Hardimon, and a former tunnel resident himself, explains, “it’s a life beyond people’s wildest dreams, in the worst way. There’s a lot of drugs, addiction, crime, extortion… all types of things that just shouldn’t be going on,” he explains, based on things he physically saw during his time in the tunnels. Hardimon represents the outcome of the Shine A Light program, explaining, “[they] try to give people hope and a way out,”which he accomplished with the help of the volunteers from the organization.
Shine A Light uses the IPATH (Instant Placement with Access to Treatment and Housing) program, so individuals are able to be connected to transitional housing, treatment programs, employment support, and vital document recovery. One participant, Jacob Short, explains that, “Shine A Light paid for [his] stay at treatment and also paid for [his] sober living afterwards,” which got him stable enough to find a job and begin living on his own. The organization also provides up to two years of case management, ensuring participants have the guidance and support needed to maintain independence and avoid returning to homelessness.
Those people who live in the tunnel system beneath Las Vegas face constant danger from flooding, substance abuse, and legal invisibility. Shine A Light addresses these challenges by combining direct outreach with long-term support, emphasizing human dignity in every interaction. One former tunnel resident, Mario, said “without [Shine A Light’s] help I don’t know where I would be or if I would still be alive.” Shine a Light attempts to build a trust within the community and always showed up, like clockwork on Saturday mornings and offers to assist with anything, according to another former resident named America.
If you are interested in assisting those living in the tunnels, there are many ways to do so. The first way is actually meeting the people who live there and passing out donation bags–that are filled with necessities(winter clothing, water, food, flashlights) and information about Shine A Light– to them. These bags make such an impact on the people in that community and greatly change their lives for the better. If the on site volunteering doesn’t align with your schedules, Shine A Light has programs where you can make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, packed with fruit snacks, to go inside of the bags that are passed out. These sandwiches are made fresh during the week, typically Thursdays or Fridays, by volunteers and are passed out on the weekend.
Finally, Shine A Light has opened its own store for the residents of the tunnels to shop in for clothes, toiletries, and other items. You can donate used clothing that is in good condition to the store or purchase goods to go on shelves to create the shopping experience for the tunnel residents who don’t have the ability to go to stores when they please. Volunteer, Cara Campbell, explains that “the volunteers create such a difference for those in the tunnels, ” and their work is valued. She continues, “I love being able to assist those who don’t live as fortunate as most, and doing any type of volunteering really aids the tunnel residents. Usually, my family donates clothes or makes sandwiches, but we have gone into the tunnels and it puts into perspective how different they live.”
This non-profit organization proves that even in the darkest parts of Las Vegas, kindness and generosity can create a lasting change of hundreds of lives. Their work shows that everyone is important and a valuable part of a community. The organization continues to bridge the gap between the tunnels and the world above because of their volunteers and supporters, helping those who struggle daily move toward independence and financial stability. Whether it is through direct outreach or donating goods, getting involved can help light the way forward for many.
You can learn more on the Shine A Light website: https://www.shinealightlv.com/
