San Diego chapter of Veterans For Peace needs donations for homeless veterans

The San Diego chapter of Veterans For Peace, a national 501-C-3 veterans educational organization, recently gave out its 1,500th sleeping bag set to a homeless person sleeping under a thin blanket on the 8th Street sidewalk next to the old Post Office in downtown San Diego.

Veteran chapter members of all five military services continue to solicit public donations, buy sleeping bag sets in bulk, and distribute them late at night in the homeless “communities” in downtown San Diego.

A sleeping bag set consists of a warm sleeping bag, a nylon stuff-sack, and a rainproof poncho, and costs the chapter $33 each (less than half of retail) in bulk orders.

Learning that 25-40 percent of the homeless downtown are veterans, the chapter began this humanitarian campaign after asking homeless veterans what items would most improve their life and the lives of others on the street.

Donations are always appreciated, and may made on line at www.SDVFP.org or checks may be made out to “SDVFP” and mailed to 12932 Sunderland Street, Poway, CA 92064. Donors will receive a card of thanks and a 501-C-3 receipt for tax purposes. Chapter veterans make all the late night distributions personally, and 100 percent of donations go to buy gear, as there is no overhead involved. For more information, please call 858-342-1964.