SavingOurVets Survival Packs for Homeless Veterans

   Veteran's become homeless due to the lack of reintigration training. Without this transitional training, our Veteran's are thrust into society to fend for themselves. Many do not have a place to go or family to help them. They're on their own. So, they are doing the best they can under the circumstances. 

   I found a homeless camp where there were 13 Veteran's. It was next to a creek that was about 15 feet wide. Even though there was piles of bags with their clothing in them and their personal belongs piled around their tents, the camp seemed to have order. The trash that couldn't be burned was placed in a hole that had been dug outside of the camp. There was a homemade port-a-john down a small trail back behind all the tents. There was a big tarp hung up around 4 nicely spaced trees, where several camping shower bags hung. Some people were washing their clothes in the creek and hanging them to dry on the ropes they had tied to 2 trees next to their tents. There was a larger stack of firewood near the fire pit. Two oven racks laid across the rocks on each side of the fire pit. A pan of steaming hot water sat on top of the rack. I asked the lady washing her clothes if any Veteran's lived there. Unbeknownst to me, she was a Navy Veteran and 12 other Vet's live there too.

   It was 9 am and many of them had gone to town to gather cans for the recycle money. They would frequent construction sites and ask for the scrap copper wiring, which they can recycle for the cash. And beg for money. They applied for jobs but haven't been hired by anyone yet. They all seemed to be optimisic. There was 38 people in this camp and they all worked together, pooled their money, and cooked together like one big family.

   I returned to the camp that evening with Survival Packs for the Veteran's. They said "We will be able to feed the whole camp for 2 months. This makes life so much better. Now we can concentrate on getting jobs. This is the kind of help we have been hoping for! Thank You for this Awesome Gift!" 

   Our Survival Packs are helping Veteran's on the streets.

   It's your donations that make this happen and we Thank You!

   Homeless Veteran's still need your help, Please Give Today!

Links:

• Visit our website

17 Homeless Veterans on the streets received your help. With every survival pack we hand to a displaced Veteran we see tears of joy and a smile from ear to ear. 

David is an Iraq Army Veteran that served 2 tours. David has been homeless for 8 months. During his second tour in 2005 his team was traveling in their humvee when it was hit suddenly with an IED. He was sitting next to his best friend, James, when they took the hit. David said "When I came to James had ahold of my leg, trying to stop the bleeding, but my leg was gone. I don't think I would have made it without my team and James!" I asked David "How did you become homeless?" He replied "I haven't been able to get a job and according to the VA I am only 10% disabled. I get $96 a month. I can't live on $96 a month!" I asked "Don't you have any relatives?" David said "My father left when I was 5 years old and my mother passed away when I was in Iraq on my first tour. I enlisted when I was 18 years old. I never married or had children, so no I have no relatives." David was very happy to receive the survival pack. He plans on eating good tonight and sleeping under his nice new warm blanket.

Max is an Afghanistan Army Veteran unable to find a job because of PTSD. Max has been homeless for 15 months. He stays very closed to his dog named Pete. Max said "I'm going straight to Walmart, Pete hasn't eaten in 2 days, I know he's starving! I'm gonna get 2 hot dogs and a big bowl of chili! Thank you so much! God bless you! I know God sent you or you wouldn't be here! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" With a huge smile on his face, he stood up and gave me a hug. Pete jumped up to get a hug too. Max put his Walmart Gift Card in his pocket and put on his new hat and gloves. Then threw his old blanket and survival pack over his shoulder as he and Pete began walking down the street to get their meals for the night.

Jonathan is an Iraq/Afghanistan Marine Veteran that just found a job at a local department store, which he starts on Monday. Jonathan and his dog, Samantha...Sammy for short, have been homeless for 2 years and 2 months. Jonathan said "Sammy and I have traveled over 500 miles looking for a job and a place to call home. The manager of the store is a old Marine Veteran and he's giving me a chance. I won't let him down." After I gave Jonathan the survival pack and Walmart Gift Card he said "Tell everyone Thank You So Much for helping me! Now Sammy and I can eat and I can get another shirt, some socks and underwear for work on Monday! Thank you for everything...You just don't know how much we appreciate this!"

Your gifts make an impact, please help us spread the word and share with your friends and family. And please give to help more homeless Veterans in their time of need.

Sincerely,

Cheryl 

Links:

• SavingOurVets