San Francisco, CA, Feb. 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bay Area-based veteran services organization Swords to Plowshares recently received a $50,000 grant from Safeway Foundation which will directly support veteran-specific employment and job assistance and wraparound services for veterans facing housing instability. Safeway’s unwavering support for military veterans has had a powerful impact on Swords to Plowshares. This year’s award makes the lifetime giving from Safeway Foundation to Swords to Plowshares over $500,000.
Since 2006, the Safeway Foundation has been a strong supporter of Swords to Plowshares. A philanthropic leader both within the Bay Area and nationally, the Foundation aims to support organizations that work toward bettering the lives of its neighbors. Beyond financial support, Safeway stores support military veterans in their neighborhoods by offering employment opportunities.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to the community, the Safeway Foundation is proud to be a longtime supporter of Swords to Plowshares," said Wendy Gutshall, Public Affairs Director of Safeway. "This organization has helped countless veterans get back on their feet by providing vital resources and support services. We are honored to have contributed more than $500,000 to this worthy cause over the course of our longtime partnership."
Grant funds have primarily supported veterans transitioning out of service and back to work. Swords to Plowshares’ services are designed to help veterans with an integrated system of support to overcome interrelated barriers to stability. The organization offers housing programs and services, access to free legal services, guidance for obtaining healthcare, free employment and job training, and mental health services. Translating military skills to the civilian workforce is a common obstacle that veterans may face after transitioning from military service to the civilian community.
“Longstanding partners like Safeway answered the call early on to respond to the needs of post-9/11 veterans transitioning home,” says Michael Blecker, Swords to Plowshares’ Executive Director. “With their reliable and committed support, we are able to sustain our programming and ensure no veteran in need of services is left behind.”
For almost 50 years, Swords to Plowshares has been at the forefront of veteran services and advocacy. As the organization continues to work in the San Francisco Bay Area to end veteran homelessness and support veterans in crisis, funding from Safeway Foundation will guarantee more veterans with the care they need to live better lives.
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)
About Safeway Foundation
Founded in 2001, the Safeway Foundation supports causes that impact our customers' lives. Safeway stores provide the opportunity to mobilize funding and create awareness in our neighborhoods through the generous contributions by our customers, our associates' passion, and partnerships with our vendors. We focus on giving locally in the areas of Hunger Relief, Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, Veterans and Supporting Diversity and Inclusion of All Abilities. In 2022, Safeway along with the Safeway Foundation donated over $27 million in food and financial support to charitable organizations in the communities it serves in the Northern California Division.
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