Swords to Plowshares

Swords seems to be opening an East Coast Division in Dave Talerico’s mother’s living room in Elmira, New York.

This month, Karen Nisco, Dave Talerico’s mother, who lives in Elmira, NY and owns a bookstore, has become a self appointed community service advocate and leader. When she heard that one of our long-term Health and Social Services clients, Thomas Sikkenga was interested in moving closer to his sister in Syracuse, NY, she made Swords’ mission her mission and was able to upgrade Thomas from his 250 sq. ft. San Francisco SRO for $530 a month, to an 800 sq. ft. apartment in Elmira New York for $340 a month! In addition, Dave’s mother gathered her team of community volunteers and together they outfitted Thomas’ new apartment with furnishings and kitchen
supplies.

HelpAmerica Foundation made a $10,000 grant to Swords last July to help very low income vets such as Thomas to relocate closer to their families. It is quite appropriate that HelpAmerica Foundation generates its charitable dollars from their business of selling things for the home; that business is At Home America, a most appropriate name for this story.

We were able to help Thomas with the cost of the bus ticket as well as moving expenses from San Francisco to New York. Thomas is looking forward to spending the upcoming holidays with his sister. Dave Talerico’s mother even went so far as to pick Thomas up after his bus broke down outside Elmira and deliver him personally to his new apartment. Now THAT’s a true Mom! Thanks Dave, thanks Karen Nisco and good luck to Thomas in his new location.