By Erin Franey
Thousands of veterans around the country are homeless, and San Francisco has heeded President Obama’s call to house our veterans by 2015. A groundbreaking project in our city opened its doors on December 1, 2014. 250 Kearny is not just a space for 130 formerly homeless veterans to live, it is a site for community building, healing, and home.
As the first 27 veterans moved in, Leah’s Pantry staff was there making heaping pots of chili and brown rice to help welcome them. There is a beautiful kitchen the veterans will share on the second floor, and it was an honor to be the first people to use the new stoves and get the space feeling warm and comfortable.
Thank you to Bevan Dufty, director of HOPE for San Francisco, the awesome Veterans Affairs full-time social workers, and Swords to Plowshares staff for all your work to envision and build 250 Kearny. It is truly an amazing project and we are excited to be back!