Project HOME Gives New Direction For Formerly Homeless Veterans
by Kim Glovas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A dozen formerly homeless veterans celebrated Monday as they graduated from a special program designed to get them back into the workforce.
The ten men and two women graduated from the PECO/Exelon Veterans Training and Employment Program, a job skills and internship experience which leads to employment.
Anthony Young, a 9-year Navy veteran, is one of the graduates and class speaker. He was employed until his job was outsourced to another country, and then he found himself homeless.
"During the six months of the internship, I worked as administrative assistant to Scott Brown at the Veterans Advisory Council," said Young. "I would like to thank PECO for being involved in the community and in particular, veterans, for understanding our issues, and knowing that we still have worth, talent, skills and abilities valuable to today's workforce," he said.
He has secured a job with Allied Barton Security.
Project HOME partners with the PECO to run the program.
"It's just so encouraging and heartening to see people who once were struggling so much to find a home and a job, now to have both," said Sister Mary Scullion, executive director of the project.
The program is in its sixth year and has graduated 50 formerly homeless veterans so far.
"What's so remarkable about the 50 veterans over the course of the past couple years that have found employment, is so many of them are involved as alums and giving back and encouraging others," said Scullion.
The 12 graduates now enter jobs with Franklin Institute, Project HOME, and many others including PECO.
