Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Announces $290,382 VA Grant For Homeless Veterans in San Francisco
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) today announced a grant of $290,382 from the Department of Veterans Affairs for Swords to Plowshares, a non-profit, San Francisco-based caregiver dedicated to homeless veterans. "For our veterans, there should never be a question of where to go for help. As a nation, not only do we owe them a debt of gratitude for their service, but also a helping hand when necessary," Pelosi said.
Swords to Plowshares has received the grant to help fund the renovation of 24 units of housing at the former Naval Air Station on Treasure Island. The project will establish a campus of the Veterans Academy on the site which will constitute the basis of a services-enriched transitional residential and educational program for up to 72 veterans at a time. Services to be offered to the homeless veteran residents will include counseling, benefit advocacy, and employment. "This is an opportunity to get these people into a program that will address the problems that have forced them out of the mainstream of our community, and then get them back on their feet," Pelosi said.
Treasure Island Naval Air Station was returned to the city of San Francisco on October 1, 1997. Swords to Plowshares was one of the organizations involved in preparing a re-use plan for the site as part of the Treasure Island Homeless Development Initiative. In January of this year, Swords to Plowshares was selected as one of two ‘pioneer' homeless program operators to move people onto Treasure Island.
