J.C., Kathleen, Rowland, BigBill Burleigh...if you're a vet on the streets of Nashville and you don't recognize any of these names, you're missing out on one of the best resources available for servicemen and women.
I work with Operation Standdown on a regular basis and can state firsthand that this is one place where you won't get empty promises. If there is any way at all they can help, they will, from clothing to healthcare to finances to housing.
If you're a vet, don't miss or ignore this resource.....Nonprofit aids struggling veterans
Room 216 at a local hotel has served as home for Peter Wall and his wife, Tammy, for a while.
Wall, a U.S. Navy veteran, was laid off from his job as a residential electrician, he said. Things went downhill soon after.
His wife's personal organization business folded. The couple lost their house, then their cars. Their 5-year-old daughter has lived with her grandparents since then.
Tammy Wall just started working as a waitress part time, her husband said. He has picked up side jobs here and there. Since their move from Memphis a few weeks ago, the Walls have relied on assistance from Operation Stand Down. The local nonprofit helps struggling veterans.
"If it wasn't for the Stand Down, we'd be on the streets," Peter Wall said. "They help us find jobs, give us bus passes, phone calls.
"They're not there to baby-sit you. If you have any ambition, they're behind you. We don't want any handouts. We want to work."
Operation Stand Down helps veterans without homes or jobs and those who struggle with addiction and mental illness. It offers transitional housing and helps them look for jobs, among other programs.
Those who walk in are told they're not homeless, just houseless, and will always have a place to stay.
"We've seen an increase because of the economy and because of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict. We're going to see a rush of these young veterans coming back," said J.C. Smith, outreach alumni programs manager at Operation Stand Down. "I see a lot of these guys standing around. I might give them some change, but I also give them my card. I don't want to maintain the status quo."
Contact Natalia Mielczarek at nmielczarek@ten
Wall, a U.S. Navy veteran, was laid off from his job as a residential electrician, he said. Things went downhill soon after.
Tammy Wall just started working as a waitress part time, her husband said. He has picked up side jobs here and there. Since their move from Memphis a few weeks ago, the Walls have relied on assistance from Operation Stand Down. The local nonprofit helps struggling veterans.
"If it wasn't for the Stand Down, we'd be on the streets," Peter Wall said. "They help us find jobs, give us bus passes, phone calls.
"They're not there to baby-sit you. If you have any ambition, they're behind you. We don't want any handouts. We want to work."
Operation Stand Down helps veterans without homes or jobs and those who struggle with addiction and mental illness. It offers transitional housing and helps them look for jobs, among other programs.
Those who walk in are told they're not homeless, just houseless, and will always have a place to stay.
"We've seen an increase because of the economy and because of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict. We're going to see a rush of these young veterans coming back," said J.C. Smith, outreach alumni programs manager at Operation Stand Down. "I see a lot of these guys standing around. I might give them some change, but I also give them my card. I don't want to maintain the status quo."
Contact Natalia Mielczarek at nmielczarek@ten
