Coe College and the Willis Dady emergency shelter in Cedar Rapids are teaming up on Monday to host a service day for veterans experiencing homelessness or near homelessness. The sessions will focus on mental health, personal finance and employment.
Willis Dady volunteer coordinator Holli Erkson says that often times people who are caught in the cycle of homelessness encounter additional barriers to employment.
"IDs go missing when you’re homeless. Identification, that’s a hard thing to have, and access to computers, where to find a job application," she says. "So just kind of going over those interview skills, where they can look for jobs, how to build a resume, what they want to put on it."
The service day will also include a veterans’ coffee talk session and a lunch, where different area non-profits will provide information on different services.