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Veterans Connect “Tailors” program to help Veterans find work

Newswise — As many as one third of the people who are experiencing homelessness in San Francisco are veterans, most are not only struggling to find homes, they are also struggling to find work. Now a group of dry cleaners is stepping up to help veterans get the perfect clothes – and the perfect fit - to be ready for any interview.

Federal employees had generously donated some clothing for a special Veterans Connect meeting November 10th. Unfortunately all the pants were unfinished at the leg.

That’s when the Korean Drycleaners Association of Northern California came up with a tailor-made solution.

The KDANC is bringing along tape measures and 15 sewing machines to the Veterans Connect event so they can measure and alter the trousers to fit each individual veteran.

“This is a wonderful gift from the Korean Drycleaners Association,” says Judith Klain, Director of Project Homeless Connect.

“For many of these veterans, getting a job is one of the most important steps they can take in turning their life around. Without the right clothes getting a job is tough, which is why this offer of help is so timely.

" It’s another way in which the wider community is rallying around to show our veterans how grateful they are for their service to this country.”

In addition to getting work-ready clothing, veterans will also be able to access a broad range of other services such as housing, medical care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, vision testing and eyeglasses, benefits, legal assistance, HIV and TB testing, groceries, phone calls, even something as simple as a haircut.

At the first Veterans Connect event in July 2008, more than 300 veterans attended seeking services. This year the number is expected to be closer to 400.

No veteran is turned away. The event is a collaboration of Project Homeless Connect, the San Francisco VA Medical Center, Swords to Plowshares and other veterans groups.

"The idea of Veterans Connect is to bring the VA, City of San Francisco, and many other organizations together to give America’s homeless veterans the help and hope that they need and deserve," said Lawrence Carroll, San Francisco VA Medical Center Director.

 "Veterans Connect helps put our Veterans in touch with government, non-profit and private agencies, and also providing them with the community support they need.”

This Veterans Connect will be held at the VA Downtown Clinic at 401 Third Street (at Harrison) in San Francisco on Tuesday, November 10 from 10am to 3pm.

PHC has proven so effective that it is serving as the model for similar programs in more than 220 cities across the U.S. as well as in Australia and Canada.

For more information contact Kevin McCormack or go to www.projecthomelessconnect.com

About Project Homeless Connect
Project Homeless Connect makes a real difference in the lives of the City’s homeless by bringing together almost 250 non-profit agencies, private businesses and volunteers to assist San Franciscans in need.

Since the program’s inception in October 2004 as a joint effort of San Francisco’s health care, housing and human service systems, Project Homeless Connect has been supported by tens of thousands of volunteers, individuals and companies giving their time, cash, clothing, food and essential services.

 To date, this program has provided services to thousands of the City’s most economically disadvantaged men, women and children with basic human needs and housing.

 Project Homeless Connect is a key component of Mayor Newsom’s 10-year plan to abolish homelessness in San Francisco.

This unprecedented approach to helping the homeless has been adopted as a national model in more than 170 jurisdictions in the U.S and has also been implemented in Canada and Australia.