Mission
War causes wounds and suffering that last beyond the battlefield. Swords to Plowshares' mission is to heal the wounds, to restore dignity, hope, and self-sufficiency to all veterans in need, and to significantly reduce homelessness and poverty among veterans.
Founded in 1974, Swords to Plowshares is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that provides counseling and case management, employment and training, housing and legal assistance to veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. We promote and protect the rights of veterans through advocacy, public education and partnerships with local, state and national entities.
History
Swords to Plowshares was started in 1974 by six veterans volunteering at the Veterans Administration in San Francisco and a few others who were concerned that the needs of returning Vietnam veterans were not being addressed. They formed an organization whose guiding principle was that veterans must never again be treated as second-class citizens, such as they were after the Vietnam War, and that war in general causes wounds that last beyond the battlefield.
Swords to Plowshares' programs, which address jobs, housing, health services, benefits advocacy, and women veterans, have evolved to meet the changing needs of veterans. With the country now involved in armed conflict, Swords to Plowshares' programs will remain among the most needed in our society. To learn more about this exceptional organization, email supportvets@stp-sf.org.
