Some of them smiled today for the first time in a long time.
"It’s nice. Got a haircut, food. This is great, very great," said Suzette Alfaro.
Alfaro lives with her family in a homeless shelter.
Today, she was at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, getting pampered.
Free haircuts.
Free foot massages.
And free advice on how to get back on her feet.
Almost one thousand homeless were at the convention center, for San Jose’s Project Homeless Connect.
The program allows the homeless to be pampered, while directing them to job training and other social programs.
"I love it, and found a jacket for my son," said Alfaro
Alfaro is part of the working poor.
She works six hours a week; not nearly enough, especially in a tough economy.
"Every day we’re going out and putting applications. And yesterday I had an interview with Target," said Alfaro. “ They want to hire me at 8 dollars an hour. I took it. I’ll do whatever and get myself out of this situation”, said Alfaro.
On the other side of the building, Jessica Mendez was massaging the feet of the homeless.
Mendez took a day of from her job at Cisco Systems to volunteer.
In one hour, Mendez had already witnessed the scars of homelessness from one man.
"He had two jobs," said Mendez. "Even with two jobs, with this economy, you still can’t make it. It’s really sad."
With the spiraling economy, more people are expected to join the homeless lines.
But at least for one day, the homeless are smiling in the South Bay.
