Swords is THE leading non-profit addressing verterans' issues in the Bay Area. From housing, to job support and training, to legal representation, Swords is doing the hard work that needs to get done. Michael Blecher has led the organization as well as any E.D. of any organization I have been involved with. Swords would not be what it is without him. Great leader.
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- EIN 94-2260626
- (415) 252-4788
- 401 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 313 San Francisco CA 94102 USA
- www.swords-to-plowshares.org
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- vetshelpingvets
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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Civil Rights, Homeless & Housing, Homeless Centers, Human Services, Job Training, Military & Veterans Organizations, Veterans
Mission: War causes wounds and suffering that last beyond the battlefield. Swords to Plowshares' mission is to support veterans as they navigate the challenges of post-military life, and to prevent and end veteran homelessness through wrap-around care and informed advocacy.
Results: Positive impact for veterans in 2024: 520 veterans housed in our permanent supportive housing programs | 484 veteran families secured or maintained independent permanent housing | $14.3 million won in direct VA benefits + free healthcare | 109 veterans secured new jobs with an average hourly wage of $33.60 | 3,493 nights of temporary emergency housing funded | 90,220 community meals served to veterans and veteran families
Target demographics: all veterans regardless of discharge status or service era
Direct beneficiaries per year: 3000+ veterans per year
Geographic areas served: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: Founded in 1974, Swords to Plowshares is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides case management, mental health counseling, re-housing and eviction prevention services, employment and job training, supportive housing, legal benefits assistance, and support groups and community-building activities for veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. Swords to Plowshares also advocates for the rights of veterans through public education and partnerships with local, state and national changemakers. HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES: we provide crisis intervention, mental health and substance use counseling, alternative therapies, emergency shelter access, peer support, communal meals, support groups, mail services, and referrals to our in-house programs. We also operate a low-barrier community space with evening and weekend hours in San Francisco. EMPLOYMENT & JOB TRAINING: we provide career counseling, resume and LinkedIn assistance, vocational training, and job placement services to help veterans obtain living-wage jobs. We work with employers and vocational training partners to facilitate job brokering, job placement, and veteran cohort vocational trainings. LEGAL SERVICES: we provide legal consultation and attorney representation for VA benefits and discharge upgrade issues to help veterans obtain healthcare, disability, pension, and other available VA benefits earned through their service. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: we operate 500 units of permanent supportive housing in San Francisco and one transitional housing program. Our housing sites have on-site case management, mental health counseling, peer support, and community activities. HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION & HOUSING PLACEMENT: we provide housing search and placement assistance and financial assistance for rent, utilities, security deposits, and move-in costs. We also operate financial empowerment workshops and representative-payee services. POLICY ADVOCACY: we educate the public, service providers, and policy makers on veteran-friendly policies, best service practices, and veteran culture. We advocate for policies that promote fair and equitable access to resources for all veterans.