Community Resources

Education Services

Graduate school gives students of all kinds a tremendous opportunity to grow academically, professionally and financially. The following guide explores the graduate school landscape, from the wealth of degree options to the rise of online programs. Learn what’s out there, what it takes and what to do next.

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Veteran Training offers free online courses that were designed specifically for Veterans, Service Members, and their families. These courses teach skills and tools to help users enhance different aspects of their lives. Courses are completely confidential. Registration is not required and no personal information is collected at any time.

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Employment Services

Since 1974 Swords to Plowshares has helped veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area address barriers to employment and secure employment after their military service. At Swords to Plowshares, veterans work one-on-one with our Employment & Training Program staff to address their individual needs, overcome obstacles to employment, and determine a long-term career plan. We provide job placement assistance and vocational training programs to help veterans translate their skills and train for new careers in high-growth, high-wage careers in the civilian sector.

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The Value Of A Veteran, Inc. facilitates employment and internship opportunities at Fortune 500 and other large, highly reputable companies to students that are veterans, military spouses, guard, reserve and active duty transitioning.  

Click here to join the resume database and be considered for employment or internships immediately! (or provide a date when you are available for hire)

Click here to access a recorded webinar that teaches how to translate a military resume into a civilian resume. 

Upcoming Career Fairs

 

Financial Services

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service remains a team of dedicated people committed to increasing the value of the Exchange benefit while continuing to give back to the military community. We have proudly served America’s armed forces since 1895. Our focus has been on delivering quality goods and services at competitively low prices with superior service.

At war and in peacetime, the Exchange provides Soldiers and Airmen with the services and merchandise they need to make their lives more comfortable. The Exchange also maintains services and support to family members and troops back home.

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Money Geek has created a home-ownership guide that speak to the unique circumstances of military life. Our editors crafted these guides in an informative and engaging manner that offer a complete understand for active members, veterans, as well as their families.

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Swords to Plowshares’ income support and benefits assistance are a critical element of our supportive services to help veterans achieve long-term health, housing and financial stability.

Representative Payee and Money Management services allow Swords to Plowshares to oversee a veteran family’s income to pay their rent and other bills on a monthly basis. This service provides veterans with stability and enables staff to negotiate with landlords on the veteran families’ behalf to keep them housed and guaranteeing on-time rental payments. In addition, we educate veterans to manage their own finances as an important step toward independent living.

Our SOAR program helps veterans navigate the SSI/SSDI application process in order to enhance or stabilize their income and to retain housing. This is a necessary and viable resource for veteran families who may not be eligible for VA disability compensation and/or pension. SOAR staff help eligible veterans complete and expedite applications to receive benefits quickly.

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Housing Services

Swords to Plowshares has operated successful stabilization and permanent supportive housing programs for more than two decades. At any given time, we have the capacity to house over 400 veterans, including 22 veterans with families, from all walks of life and generations of military service.

We operate seven different housing sites with multiple points of entry to address the many barriers veterans face on their path toward self-sufficiency. We offer the support services that improve outcomes, including Rapid Re-housing services, eviction protection, and money management programs to help keep veterans housed.

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Legal Services

Swords to Plowshares is one of the few organizations in the country that provides free legal consultation and attorney representation to veterans seeking assistance with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and military discharge upgrade cases. Our attorneys play an essential role by helping veterans remove unjust legal barriers to VA benefits. Our services are targeted to address the needs of homeless and low-income veterans. All services are free of charge.

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Social Services

MakeTheConnection.net is an online resource designed to connect Veterans, their family members and friends, and other supporters with information, resources, and solutions to issues affecting their lives.

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The Frontline Drop-in Center, the main entry point to our Health and Social Services department, provides outreach and critical care to help homeless, low-income and at-risk veterans.

Our case managers and intake staff help stabilize veterans with crisis intervention, mental health assessments and treatment referrals, case management, in-house and community referrals, assistance securing emergency and permanent housing, and host of other critical needs. We first address veterans’ immediate needs, with such things as restoring medications or benefits, and continue to longer-range planning and services that will enable them to improve their health, economic and housing stability, and overall well-being so they can live independently in the community.

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Veteran Groups

To enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.

We define enrichment as creating quality relationships and experiences that contribute to life satisfaction and overall well-being. The concept of enrichment consists of three core components—health, people, and purpose—that comprise a rich life.

  • Health: Creating frequent opportunities for team members to connect through fitness, sports, and recreation to improve physical, mental, and emotional well being.
  • People: Creating authentic connections (defined as genuine, quality, supportive relationships that generate mutual trust and accountability), reflected in an increased number of close relationships and improvements in teammates’ sense of belonging, purpose, and community engagement.
  • Purpose: Engaging members in meaningful team and community-based experiences such as leadership and service that, beyond physical and social activities, renew self-identity and purpose in life.

We accomplish our mission via our two core programs: our Chapter and Community Program and our Eagle Leadership Development Program.

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