Sailors from Naval Base Point Loma (NBPL) recently assisted Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) in erecting its annual winter shelter for homeless veterans. More than 60 sailors from NBPL, members of NBPL’s Public Works Department and chief petty officers from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) volunteered to set up the homeless shelter located on a storage lot of NPBL’s Old Town compound. The annual event consists of the assembly of materials used to operate a 150-person, all-male shelter facility including bunks, bedding, tables and support equipment. “It is heartwarming to see so many sailors come together and enthusiastically assist in this noteworthy effort that provides such vital care to our veterans who find themselves on hard times,” said Capt. Paul Marconi, commanding officer of NBPL. The Navy’s five-year partnership with VVSD and the city to provide the lot for the seasonal shelter enables VVSD to focus on raising contributions to operate the shelter and not search each year for a site to place the shelter. The winter veterans shelter is not just a place for homeless veterans to sleep and eat but a place to acquire the necessary tools in order to change their lives. Careful attention is paid to each participant to determine their specific needs and homelessness-related issues, according to Navy officials. Navy officials said once these needs are identified, participants are assigned a specific staff coordinator for their particular case management. Many of the program’s successful past participants were on hand to assist this year in the operation of the shelter. The shelter is committed to offering every veteran, regardless of service, an opportunity to become self-sufficient as well as drug and alcohol free. According to the San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless, San Diego has an estimated 2,000 homeless veterans. — From staff and special contribution