2,570 Bay Area veterans facing income and housing instability accessed the organization’s wraparound services in 2024.
San Francisco, CA, Feb. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Swords to Plowshares, the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading veteran services nonprofit organization, is thrilled to share its 2024 Annual Report. The organization made great strides in helping 2,570 veterans access stable housing and financial security – advancing its mission of ending homelessness among veterans through providing veteran-centered programs and services.
The report highlights data and stories that represent the veterans Swords to Plowshares serves. In 2024, a total of 1,244 new veterans enrolled in services. Many of them are above the age of 55, live with one or more disabling condition, and earn below the poverty line. Notably, Swords to Plowshares saw an increase in veterans of color participating in programming – from 56% in 2023 to 69% in 2024 of total veterans served.
Swords to Plowshares’ Vision for Impact was announced in 2024 and provides structure for the annual report’s content, outlining three themes rooted in increasing equity, achieving justice, and transforming care for under-resourced veterans. These core themes inform the organization’s operations and strengthen its commitment to providing tailored, supportive services to all veterans.
Swords to Plowshares is proud to share that the veterans who utilized its services in 2024:
- Gained access to income and free VA healthcare: with Swords’ legal support, veterans won a combined $14.3 million in lifetime disability income
- Secured necessary shelter: veterans accessed 3,493 nights of emergency housing in hotels prior to housing placement
- Resided in stable supportive housing: 520 veterans with histories of chronic homelessness and disability inhabited Swords’ six permanent supportive housing sites
- Built their futures: 109 veterans secured new jobs through Swords’ Employment & Training Services program, earning an average of $33.06/hour
“2024 was a milestone year for Swords to Plowshares. We celebrated the career of my predecessor, Michael Blecker, and 50 years of dedicated service to veterans. The progress and stories that make up this report demonstrate our commitment to serving veterans— in 2025, we will work harder, advocate louder, and further expand our reach to connect veterans with the care and support they have earned,” said Tramecia Garner, executive director of Swords to Plowshares.
Access Swords to Plowshares’ 2024 Annual Report here: https://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/annualreport/2024.
About Swords to Plowshares
Founded in 1974, Swords to Plowshares is a community-rooted nonprofit that provides wraparound support for veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each year, Swords to Plowshares supports approximately 3,000 veterans as they navigate the challenges of post-military life so that they can achieve health, housing, wellness, and stability. This nationally recognized veterans service organization also advocates for the rights of veterans through community education and partnerships with local, state, and federal changemakers. Learn more about the work of Swords to Plowshares and discover how you can help by visiting www.swords-to-plowshares.org.
CONTACT: Katie Ettl Swords to Plowshares 530-218-2147 katie.ettl@stp-sf.org
