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Little did we know that one simple act of volunteering for the Sacramento Stand Down would manifest into The Threads for Vets Campaign.
Kim and I checked in at the volunteer desk and were instructed to head over to the clothing section where our help would be needed for the next three hours. Mike, who was in charge of this area, greeted us warmly and quickly put us to work. Kim and I were briefed by Nan who told us the homeless Veterans would be coming over in groups once they were checked into their tents. They were allowed one pair of pants and shorts each and we would greet and help in any way in the selection process.
We began sorting pants onto piles already laid out on tables by waist size. Nan explained that by the end of the weekend, all of the pants in the 30, 32, 34 and 36 waist sizes would be gone. We waited in anticipation as the first wave of Veterans came through the clothes distribution line. First, the Veterans received new socks, towels, underwear, soap and deodorant. As each man approached, we asked “what size of pants would you like and what type”. Most replied they needed one of the smaller sizes and were looking for jeans, kakis or cargo style pants. One man picked out some black jeans however they were a couple of inches too short. “I’m sure there must be another pair in this pile that would be the right length.” To our dismay, there wasn’t any but the Vet replied “that’s okay these will work out just fine, thank you”. There were a handful of new pants and the rest were all donated used clothing. As more groups came through, the same scenario played out over and over again. The jeans in the smaller sizes were gone in the first couple of hours. There were a lot of pants, but not in the right sizes and types. I know people mean well when they donate clothing, but let’s face it, the angel flight, nylon, checkered look went out of style quite a long time ago.
The shorts available were piled on two folding chairs. As the sizes ranged from a 30 to 50 plus waist size, it was evident that very few of the 400 plus Veterans serviced over the weekend would get shorts.
The response from the Veterans was always one of appreciation and gratitude. For some, these are the only new clothes they receive all year. It was humbling, as I think of my closet full of clothes.
As the end of our shift approached, new volunteers arrived and we filled them in on the process. Kim and I left with a new prospective on the life of our homeless Veterans and vowed that we would try to make a difference by supporting the Sacramento Stand Down to improve the quality and selection in this area for the following year. Our Veterans have sacrificed so much for us, couldn’t we offer them some new pants and shorts to choose from?
We checked with the assistant director of the Sacramento Stand Down Association, and pitched our plan. Mary Lou agreed this would be a great addition to the Stand Down, as they did not have the needed funds or storage for new pants and shorts. The Threads for Vets Campaign was born.
Threads For Vets Campaign 2008
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