Swords to Plowshares and Partners Host Oakland Stand Down
Hosted at Laney College, unhoused veterans in Oakland are invited to access a variety of essential supportive services at this day-long event.
Oakland, CA, May 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tomorrow, Swords to Plowshares, a local 50-year-old veterans’ nonprofit organization will co-host a “Stand Down in The Town” event, which mirrors the military practice of service members resting off duty during deployments. This event will connect Oakland’s unhoused veteran population with 39 vendors offering essential services in one place.
“We aim to create an Oakland where no veteran is left behind,” says Mark Walker, Deputy Director for East Bay Programs at Swords to Plowshares, “For 50 years, Swords has stepped up to address the needs of underserved veterans. This event is a powerful step towards strengthening the veteran community in Alameda County and we hope it inspires more local leaders to address and prioritize the issues veterans are facing here.”
Along with event co-organizers, Alameda County Veterans Affairs Commission and Laney College, Swords to Plowshares will provide space for Oakland’s underserved veterans to connect with services and resources specifically tailored to their needs. In 2022, the PIT Count for homeless veterans in Alameda County was 550, with 78% of them classified as unsheltered. “The Stand Down in The Town” aims to engage this population in an accessible setting that prioritizes their experiences as veterans.
Resources provided will include enrollment in housing services, employment, and healthcare; onsite counseling and mental health resources; haircuts and free showers; and free food including breakfast and lunch.
*Stand Down in The Town*
Saturday, May 4th, 2024
9:00AM to 3:00PM
Laney College Gym
900 Fallon St
Oakland, CA 94607
*About Swords to Plowshares *
Founded in 1974, Swords to Plowshares is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides counseling and case management, rapid re-housing and eviction prevention services, employment and training, supportive housing, and legal benefits assistance for low-income, homeless and at-risk veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. Swords to Plowshares promotes and protects the rights of veterans through advocacy, public education, and partnerships with local, state and national entities. Learn more about the work of Swords to Plowshares, and ways in which you can help, by visiting our website at Swords to Plowshares (swords-to-plowshares.org)
CONTACT: Katie Ettl
Swords to Plowshares
530-218-2147
katie.ettl@stp-sf.org