A city in California is cleaning up its streets while providing work for the homeless community. San Jose is paying dozens of homeless residents $15 an hour to pick up trash at more than 40 of the city’s “hotspots.” According to Mayor Sam Liccardo, the city’s ultimate goal is to transition the participants into full time employees while helping to end homelessness.
The project launches this month in partnership with the Downtown Streets Team organization and Goodwill. And a local dealership even offered two discounted trucks to support cause.
The VP of mission services at Goodwill of Silicon Valley said the mayor’s initiative fits “perfectly” with the Goodwill’s mission “by giving people a hand up versus a hand out.”