Standing Up For Homeless Veterans

Standing Up For Homeless Veterans
Knowing that veterans are living on the streets is something VFW Post 10427 in Leander, Texas, couldn’t live with.

“It’s a shame that we are the most powerful country in the world, but we still have homeless veterans,” said James Towers, Texas District 28 junior vice commander. “As a veterans’ organization, we can’t allow this to happen.”

Towers and his fellow Post members learned of a community volunteer, Mike McIntire, who goes in search of homeless veterans. McIntire encounters between 75 and 100 veterans each week. He sets up VA appointments and provides them with food from local shelters.

When a Post member met McIntire at the VA clinic, the Post knew they had to help.
They donated money and fundraised for a total of $1,000, which they used to buy supplies for a November "Stand Down for Homeless Veterans" event. "Stand Down" events are an opportunity for homeless veterans to find a job and take advantage of veterans’ services like the VA. Volunteers pass out food, supplies, and personal care items.

But the Post didn’t stop there.

After cutting a deal with a sporting goods store, the Post used that money to buy almost 100 sleeping bags and around 30 backpacks, as well as various other sundries and toiletries. They also held a used clothing drive to collect between 400 and 500 articles of clothing.

Between the sleeping bags and clothing, the Post had filled a U-Haul van with items for homeless veterans at the “Stand Down” event. Towers estimated that the Post’s efforts raised about $3,000 in supplies.

“As an organization, we have a lot of resources dedicated to deployed servicemembers, which is very important,” said Towers. “But at the same time, we didn’t want these homeless vets, our comrades, to fall through the cracks.”
Return to main VFW at Work! Page
Return to main VFW at Work! Archive Page
Donate Now!


We hear a lot about how this is supposedly a Christian nation when politicians feel the need to say it, but they never prove it. These are the words from Christ Himself addressing what the rich should do when it comes to the poor. No one is expecting people to give away everything they have but it would be wonderful. All that is necessary is for really rich people to give up at least some of what they have for the sake of the poor. To have two words linked together in this nation is really pitiful. Homeless and veteran. If we can't take care of them, then what chance to just regular homeless people have?

Mark 10:17-31
The Rich Young Man
17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.
19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'[a]"
20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is[b] to enter the kingdom of God!
25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
26The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
27Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A17-31