From: jewell@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Larry Jewell)
Newsgroups: soc.veterans
Subject: Sweaters for Homeless Veterans
Date: 22 Aug 92 23:17:23 GMT
Organization: Purdue University


Reposted from VWAR-L:

Date:         Sun, 16 Aug 1992 17:03:59 -0400
Reply-To: Viet Nam War Discussion List <VWAR-L@UBVM.cc.buffalo.edu>
From: Kali Tal <kali@ACCESS.DIGEX.COM>
Subject:      Sweaters for Homeless Vets

I received the following press release from Anne Rogers and
thought it would be interesting to some VWAR-L readers.
     Kali Tal

SHELTER SWEATERS

Hand and machine knitting contest of men's sweaters to be
donated to the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans which
serves veterans from World War II through the Persian Gulf.

Categories:  Machine Knit, Hand Knit.  Each entry must be marked
either machine knit or hand knit, original or from pattern, and
come with the nitter's name, address, telephone number(s) along
with 50 cents for each sweater (shipping to Boston). Sweaters are
to be sent to:  Shelter Sweaters, 301 Greason Rd., Carlisle, PA
17013.  Winners will be announced on Veterans' Day 1993 and the
sweaters will be shipped to the New England Shelter for Homeless
Veterans.

The Shelter is a project of the Vietnam Veterans Workshop, a
nonprofit veterans support and advocacy group based in Boston,
MA. Since opening its doors in December 1989, the Shelter has
assisted over 2,000 homeless veterans. The day and emergency
overnight shelter is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They fill
150 beds every night. Residents are provided with clean clothes
and a shower. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, over 15,000
meals a month. Full-time counselors advise and offer referrals to
veterans on Veterans Benefits, education programs, legal aid,
medical treatment and PTSD programs. Counselors also arrange
detoxification referrals, provide aftercare and support and
encourage participation in a recognized sobriety program.
Volunteer mental health professionals offer diagnoses and
treatment. Job counselors provide periodic pre-employment
workshops and job placement services. The Shelter sponsors a
security Guard Training Program and Computer Training Program.
In addition, the Shelter employs many residents in a number of
transitional employment positions within its Food Service,
Housekeeping, Engineering and Supply Departmnets. The New
England College of Optometry has established an eye clinic at the
Shelter. Vets receive free eye care, including examinations,
prescriptions, treatment and glasses. The Shelter is in the process
of rehabilitating the ten-story Court Street Building in Boston and
building 59 units of single room occupancy housing on four of the
floors for the veterans who will have secured employment while in
the Shelter Program.

There is also the National Coalition of Homeless Vets Service
Providers with affiliates in 39 cities. Should there be more sweaters
than the New England Shelter can use, they can be distributed
through the Coalition to vets in other cities. It's estimated that over
one third of the nation's 500,000 homeless are vets-- that's over
150,000 nationwide.

The purpose of this contest is to focus on this segment of homeless
and I would hope once the contest is over the knitting will continue
for veterans in areas where knitters live or garments would be sent
to the New England Shelter for distribution where needed.

Submitted by: Anne Rogers
              6410 Lemon Street
              East Petersburg, PA 17520-1134
	      717/560-9515
	      FAX: 717/898-7909

-- 
#Larry W. Jewell (ex-USN)     WWII-L Listowner    jewell@mace.cc.purdue.edu # 
#"Sunday's horoscope is noteworthy because of its strange, sudden and wholly#
#unpredictable and inexplicable occurrences, affecting all phases of life." #
#--"Your Horoscope," L.A. Evening Herald Express, Saturday, Dec. 6, 1941.   #