A woman with a hot dog in one hand and plastic bags in the other, manned the entrance to the Stand Down's clothing room. Too busy to take a lunch break, she guided homeless veterans into a room overflowing with blankets, coats, trousers and shoes. Inside the room, Jeffersonville, Ind., Lodge Veterans Chair, Donald Pfannenstiel commanded 55 volunteers who helped the homeless veterans pick warm clothing for the Midwest winter.

On any given night, the Veterans Administration estimates that more than 200,000 veterans are sleeping on the streets or in shelters. Elks like Pfannenstiel and the Texas Gulf Coast District members have teamed with organizations including the VA to help these homeless heroes. Through events like Stand Downs and holiday parties, Elks are showing homeless veterans they're not forgotten.

Standing Down to Homelessness When the Jeffersonville, Ind., Elks learned about the Elks National Foundations Community Investments Program Gratitude Grant, they immediately thought of Pfannenstiel and the neighboring Louisville, Ky., Stand Down. At Stand Downs, volunteers provide homeless veterans with food and clothing, while agencies offer services such as health screenings, haircuts and employment counseling.

Having volunteered at the Stand Down for five years, Pfannenstiel knew he could use the $200 Gratitude Grant to purchase needed items such as duffle bags or sweat suits for the veterans.

"Some of the veterans are on crutches or wheelchairs," says Pfannenstiel. "You realize they've given a part of themselves for the country. It's the least we can do to give back, and we'll certainly apply for the grant again next year."

Many of the veterans who attend Stand Downs don't know where to go or are afraid to seek help. Bringing homeless veterans closer to the people who can help them drew Pfannenstiel to the event. Having worked at the VA for 15 years as a program analyst, he used his experience to revamp the chaotic clothing room by assigning each veteran a "personal shopper."

"It's hard to explain the satisfaction you feel when you're done volunteering at a Stand Down," he says. "You're tired. You're sore. But then you think about how you helped more than 500 people learn how to help themselves, and it makes you feel good."

Welcome to the Hotel DeGeorge Despite the lack of a maitre d' or room service at The DeGeorge in downtown Houston, the Texas Gulf Coast District Elks deem the renovated hotel a first-class establishment. The residence houses 100 formerly homeless veterans and provides them with sobriety support, job-seeking skills, support groups, training and other programs to help them reintegrate into independent living and society.

Local Elks have reached out to The DeGeorge residents by inviting them to participate in veterans program activities. Each month, nearly half of the veterans from DeGeorge take a bus to the Houston VA to play bingo, eat pie and receive gifts. Members of Gulf Coast Lodges visit The DeGeorge frequently to hand out clothing and food. The Elks also attend the annual DeGeorge Graduation Party for veterans who complete the program. The Elks cater the dinner and purchase door prizes for the attendees, who include program alumni returning to share their success stories.

"It's really something for the veterans to be proud of," says Charles Lehman, the Houston Lodge veterans chair since 1980. "Helping with the event, you feel so good about it that you almost feel guilty."

Lehman's Lodge also hosts a holiday party and invites veterans from the VA hospital and The DeGeorge. This year, the Lodge gave each veteran a watch, and the crowd dined on turkey and trimmings. A money tree stood near the entrance, and each veteran got to pick a $5 bill from a branch.

"You can't imagine how happy the veterans are at the party," says Lehman. "For many, it's probably the only Christmas they'll have. Elks are proud to be patriotic and I'm really proud of our work."

In 2006-07, the Elks National Foundation will grant $787,550 to the Elks National Veterans Service Commission and will allocate $525,000 for the Community Investments Program. For more information on these programs, visit www.elks.org/vets or www.elks.org/enf/community. Want more information about the Elks National Foundation? Sign up for Pulse, our email newsletter, at www.elks.org/enf.