ToolBank Spotlight On U.S. Vets

U.S. Vets, Phoenix ToolBank’s January Member Agency Spotlight, provides housing, counseling, career development and supportive services to homeless, low-income and disabled veterans.

Recently U.S. Vets partnered with ART Alliance to decorate over 130 veteran rooms as well as their facility. When the opportunity was presented to U.S.Vets, they immediately accepted because this gave them the opportunity to provide elegant and expensive decorating items (mirrors, rugs, pictures, lamps, tables, chairs and accent pieces) to disadvantaged veterans. US Vets expressed to ToolBank that “although the veterans have financial barriers, they deserve the opportunity to experience and live in a nicely decorated environment”.

U.S.Vets had veterans who initially chose not to participate in the event; however, during the event, these veterans started working with the designers to decorate their room. One volunteer stated “it is truly life changing when you can give something (talent, time, decorations) to those less fortunate. At the end of the day, income and status do not matter, people matter”. What moved U.S.VETS about the veterans was their appreciation of the project. Veterans have stated, that they “can’t believe people would do all of ‘this’ for them”.

Phoenix Community ToolBank saved U.S. Vets time, money and stress. Staff shared with ToolBank that their project took 9 months to plan and was a very BIG event. The use of blue tools is how 150 decorators completed the project and got the job done. U.S. Vets staff expressed that ToolBank was extremely organized and professional and ensured we had the tools needed! In reality, U.S. Vets stated they could not have done the scope of work without the ToolBank. They reported they had a high need for many items from levels, screwdrivers, box cutters, hammers, drill etc. To purchase items for the event would have been too costly for both parties, very difficult to organize and obtain the diversity of items we needed. They really don’t know what they would have done without the ToolBank.