Wearing matching red T-shirts and orange safety vests, about a half-dozen homeless men and women on a recent morning fanned out across Anaheim’s Willow Park to pick up litter and repaint trash cans.

Overseen by the nonprofit service group Love Anaheim, the park clean-up was the fourth outing for a fledgling city-funded program that offers a meal and gift cards in exchange for a half day of work beautifying the city.

Nathan Zug, center, of Love Anaheim speaks to homeless volunteers gathered to help clean and refurbish Willow Park in Anaheim on Thursday, January 11, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Kris Miller, a homeless volunteer, paints artwork on one of the trash cans as part of the Better Way Anaheim program in Willow Park in Anaheim on Thursday, January 11, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Joseph Chappell, a homeless volunteer, paints mile marker signs as part of a program run by Love Anaheim in Willow Park in Anaheim on Thursday, January 11, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Kris Miller, a homeless volunteer, mixes paint as he paints his artwork on trash cans as part of Better Way Anaheim, a homeless jobs program, in Willow Park in Anaheim on Thursday, January 11, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Becky Cruz, a homeless volunteer, along with others, helps pick up trash as part of a program run by Love Anaheim in Willow Park in Anaheim on Thursday, January 11, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)



Joseph Chappell, a homeless volunteer, paints mile marker signs as part of a program of Love Anaheim in Willow Park in Anaheim on Thursday, January 11, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Homeless volunteers pick up trash as part of a program of Love Anaheim in Willow Park in Anaheim on Thursday, January 11, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Bottles of paint used to paint artwork on trash cans as part of a program of Love Anaheim in Willow Park in Anaheim on Thursday, January 11, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Nathan Zug, of Love Anaheim, talks about homeless volunteers gathered to help clean and refurbish Willow Park in Anaheim on Thursday, January 11, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Nathan Zug, a local church pastor and the city’s police chaplain, heads the nonprofit and has ambitious plans for the homeless work program known as Better Way Anaheim.

Love Anaheim volunteers use a van donated by the city to pick up people willing to work and take them to the day’s job site. After a brief orientation, which Zug delivers in a quiet, calming voice, everyone gets to work. Local businesses sponsor the workers’ lunch, and sometimes case workers are brought in to offer help with counseling, benefits, housing and other issues.

Zug said he hopes to expand the program from one to two days a week, and to work with companies willing to hire people – vetted by Love Anaheim.

“I’ve already seen the pride of good work,” Zug said, adding that for participants, the program can be “an on-ramp to their next step.”

Several of those fixing up Willow Park this day, were second-time volunteers, including Kris Miller, 26, who spent his previous shift for Better Way Anaheim painting a trash can with wispy clouds, multi-colored trees and giant, nodding sunflowers.

“I thought it was a good way to reach out to the community and give a little back,” he said. “Kids see that and they get a smile.”

An artist, Miller was living with his in-laws until they lost their home. Now he sleeps on friends’ couches or wherever he can find a place. He’s hoping Better Way Anaheim will lead to a permanent job, he said.

At a nearby picnic table, Joseph Chappell, 51, was painting wooden plaques that would become mile markers around the park.

“I think it’s good for us to help with our city,” he said.

Chappell said he’s been homeless for two years after of a run of bad luck that included an on-the-job injury that required nine surgeries, pouring all his assets into a business that failed, and losing his job cleaning bank buildings after someone stole his backpack with all his work keys inside.

“People say that we’re all drug addicts and thieves, and we’re not,” he said.

Better Way Anaheim, an initiative Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait modeled on a similar program in Albuquerque, is a six-month pilot program that could be renewed for up to three additional years under the current contract. The first six months have been funded by the city up $30,000 for supplies, gift cards for stores and restaurants such as Walmart and Subway, and administrative time.

Other Southern California cities have also created homeless jobs programs in recent months, including Riverside and Moreno Valley.

Better Way Anaheim

What: Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait announced plans for a homeless jobs program in his 2017 State of the City speech.

Who: Love Anaheim, a nonprofit service group, runs the program for homeless people who are willing to do a half day’s work.

Why: Participants clean up parks and do other civic beautification projects, and in exchange they’re provided lunch, bus passes and gift cards worth $60.

Information: 657-201-7582 or www.loveanaheim.org/.