Give Job Searching Education for Homeless in USA
DST aims to reduce panhandling, clean and beautify the downtown area, and give homeless people the opportunity to work. You can support DST's job searching workshops for team members to transition their employment status to a more permanent job.
Photo Gallery
The Need
Since 2001, the unemployment rate in Santa Clara County rose from 1.7% to 7.5%. Higher unemployment rates lead to more poverty and homelessness. In late 2004, the BID conducted a survey that revealed homelessness and cleanliness as two of the biggest issues facing local business owners. Providing the skills and opportunities the homeless need to become self-reliant is a cost-effective way to solve this problem.
About Downtown Streets Team (DST)
Partner since November, 2010
Downtown Streets Team (DST) is a non-profit organization serving the Palo Alto area in Northern California that brings businesses, communities, and homeless people together to create and maintain a clean, safe downtown district. Since its inception in 2005, DST has found 155 jobs or housing units for formerly homeless men and women in Santa Clara County. Participants clean downtown Palo Alto area wearing bright yellow shirts in exchange for food/shelter vouchers. In addition, this innovative model provides low-cost janitorial/maintenance/kitchen services to local government and partnered non-profits. DST team members work part-time and attend a weekly meeting run in a board meeting format to discuss employment opportunities, work circumstances, and award participants of the week. The distinguishing characteristic is the combination of enthusiasm, clapping and support that inspires real change. DST utilizes community volunteers and partnered non-profits to provide job preparedness training, job search skills meetings (resume building, mock interviews, etc.), vocational training, housing placement, case management, bus passes, individual mentors from the community, free medical care, dental services, and other essential services.
