I know this is a bad time to reach out to everyone, but there is a Veteran in Dallas I’ve been trying to help. He is married, out of the service a couple of years and a full-time student at a north Dallas College. He and his wife have a toddler, and his wife is blind. They are on food stamps, and the VA is currently re-evaluating his various disabilities. He already has a minimal disability rating [thanks to the Bush evaluators].
His needs are pretty simple. He has no car and the family relies on public transportation. From where they currently live that means a 6 hour roundtrip bus ride 5 days a week to get to school. Their lease is up at the end of the month. If they could live within walking distance [or a short bus ride], the stress he currently is under would be reduced dramatically.
Most of you know that I volunteer to work with Veterans who have PTSD. This Veteran is one of them. At one time he was homeless for 6 months. He also has physical problems from a combat injury. [I’m being very, very careful about revealing too much about about him for obvious reasons.]
Follow me after the jump to see what you can do to help him right now.
UPDATE II - I got kicked out of the hospital room by my dad and a nurse. Her husband just got back from Afghanistan. She said this is more important.
UPDATE I
Last night, with my finger literally on the publish button for this diary, my 86 year old Dad called me for help. I quickly called the Vet we are trying to help and gave him a head’s up and took my Dad to the hospital. It turns out he had a mild heart attack. He’s doing OK and may have heart catherization tomorrow. I need to go now to the hospital and talk with him about that procedure. Testvet will be here to answer those military related questions. I hope someone from the Dallas area will answer others. I should be back in about 90 minutes [or sooner – my Dad fully supports this Vet and I expect that he will kick me out of the room to get back here]
Here is a formerly homeless veteran doing all he can to hold himself, his wife and child together. Government help [the VA] is on the way. Once the new GI Bill kicks in, they will be OK. In about 3 to 6 months when he gets his disability pay, they will be fine.
What he needs:
- Someone who can find them an affordable apartment. Currently they live in a 2 bedroom and pay $650.00 per month before utilities. Once the new GI Bill kicks in he will get $1,000 a month for living expenses.
- Once they find the apartment, they will have to put down a security deposit. They don’t have that money, so they will need some of us to step up and either loan them that money or donate it outright. I don’t know how to set that up and need your help in getting that job done.
- The Vet is physically disabled as is his wife. Once they have the new apartment, with the security deposit paid, they need help moving. They have very minimum possessions. We think about two pickup truck loads will get the job done. That shouldn’t take long. [If Kossacks who helped pack Care Packages* are involved, about 12 minutes – coffee break included.]
This is a case where 5 or 6 Dallas / Ft. Worth Kossacks can really make a difference in the lives of three people. The rest of us can chip in to make it all happen. Remember, they need your hand up – not your hand out.
Here are two insights into the type of person we are trying to help:
- An hour after we first talked, the Veteran who needs your help called me. He just ran into another Veteran who became homeless the previous day. He called to see if I could help the other guy first.
[In the Dallas area, if someone is homeless they need to go to The Bridge, 1818 Corsicana, Dallas Texas 75201 PH: 214 670 1100 If they are a Veteran, they will be referred to the Homeless Veterans of Dallas – and, yes, that is a loop through which they must first jump.]
- Another Veteran called me concerning his father-in-law who is also a Veteran. The father-in-law is a heart patient who just lost his long-time job and health insurance. Yep. The first Vet – the one we are trying to help – referred the 3rd Vet. The point is our guy is a pretty caring individual.
Here’s where to get started:
- If you have time tomorrow during the day to look for apartments in North Dallas, please e-mail me at jack1009 at msn dot com and I will let you know exactly where to look.
- If you know how to get a donation site set up and can do it [I screw it up everytime], please e-mail me at jack1009 at msn dot com.
- If you have a pickup truck and can get someone to help them move please email me at jack1009 at msn dot com. I hope we find 2 trucks so that there will be only one trip made by each.
- If you are a clean freak who can’t stand dirt in any way, shape, or form please email at jack1009 at msn dot com. Following the move out, we need to get the old place to sparkle so they can get back their security deposit.
The Veteran we are trying to help is studying to be a software engineer. Anyone in the Dallas area who has an old printer lying around, he needs one.
Kossacks, as I said, I need your help now. We have about 7 days to set this up and make it work. Progress reports will be put up daily until we get the job done.