PEOPLES FORUM. A Community News Service
Vol 1, No. 1. April 1976
Viet Nam Vets Aid Seniors
Senior citizens in San Francisco’s tough Tenderloin district have been afforded the benefits on an excellent and very humane service in the North of Market Street “Senior Escort” program. This highly successful interracial effort, in which eight young Vietnam war veterans serve as protective escorts, advisors, and advocates for the aged, recently faced extinction when funds from the State grant had been completely exhausted.
Jean Mellor, the program’s director, made an urgent appeal to all San Franciscans to keep this essential service alive. Many people responded, the first being Peoples Temple, which donated the initial $6,000 needed to keep the program going.
In giving the donation, the Rev. Jim Jones of Peoples Temple said, “We along with the Nation of Islam, have been working to eliminate violence. We feel if groups that are Christian and Muslim can cooperate, then certainly all of us ought to be able to get together to do something to eliminate the great degree of violence that threatens our communities. And the Senior Escort program does that in a very significant way.”
Following the Temple’s donation, enough funds were assigned the program to keep it above water. However, the Senior Escort service still needs your support and help. We hope San Franciscans will be moved to keep this essential service alive.
(Our congratulations to Jean Mellor, the program’s Director, who was recently named one of the Bay Area’s “Most Distinguished Ten” citizens by the San Francisco Examiner.)
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