For some months now, we at GoE here in Philadelphia have partnered with the Broad Street Ministry to identify and assist homeless veterans.   On Thursdays, from 1100 to 1300hrs the ministry serves lunch to all comers.  The local veteran’s community here in Philly has been a presence at these lunches for three months now.  We bring clothing and help to those of us who have worn the uniform, but who have now found themselves down on their luck.  This past Christmas Day we arrived at the ministry with 10 large garbage bags full of socks, t-shirts, underwear and toiletries for our brother and sister veterans.  We then helped to serve the 280 homeless men and women present Christmas dinner and assisted with clothing dispersal to all present.

Thankfully, we only had a couple dozen homeless veterans in attendance, but we can be sure there are more.  Hopefully, the word will spread that we are actively looking for homeless veterans and want to literally bring them in from the cold.  We have been putting together a network of assistance for veterans from all eras and services.  Active duty soldiers from the Army Experience Center have come to serve lunch and have provided blankets. We have a federally accredited attorney, Al Gambone who is himself an O.I.F. veteran, service officers with the Veteran’s Administration, medical professionals for check ups, job training and placement, and counseling services for O.I.F. / O.E.F. veterans and their families on a sliding scale.  Recently, we at GoE were also the beneficiaries of two houses here in Philadelphia, at minimal yearly rent, which will eventually become temporary housing for homeless veterans. 

The A.E.C. soldiers will be returning next month, with a laptop computer, air port and portable printer, so that we can print out DD-214s right on site. That way we can get any qualified veterans into the Veteran’s Administration pipeline as soon as possible.  That is by no means an end to our assistance, but it is a beginning. 

The counseling services are available at 14 sites in and around Philadelphia.   Should anyone hear of a veteran or family member in need of these services please contact us or send them to us, so we can get them the assist they need.  Another of our partners, Big Brothers-in-Arms will help facilitate the counseling by providing mentorship relationships so that those in need do not feel as if they are fighting this battle alone.

The houses, although available are still in the early stages due to the legal hurdles we must leap.  They will eventually be named for Philadelphia’s only Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War, Cpl. Michael Crescenz and Gathering of Eagles.  We have been informed that this process will take 9 months to a year before it is viable, but in this mission we will not waiver.  We will get this done so that none of our brothers and sisters has to sleep on a subway platform or over a grate again.  Al Gambone is heading up the legal challenges and deserves a serious atta boy for that. 

As you can all see, these are big challenges, but no one ever told us that we could quit the mission when the going got tough, nor will we.  Whether you learned that lesson at Ft. Benning, GA, Camp Lejeune, Great Lakes, or Lackland AFB the message has always been the same: continue the mission and hold until relieved.   That, we will do.  Thanks to all who helped us serve dinner to the less fortunate on Christmas Day and to all of you who sent the items necessary to make this year a little easier for them.  I was humbled by the out pouring of good cheer exhibited by you, my brother and sister veterans and our supporters.  I am awed by you all and proud beyond belief to be counted amongst your number.  Let’s commit ourselves to making next year a banner one for all who have ever worn the uniform, in all ways and manners.  I have never asked any of you to do everything.  Rather I have asked that each of you just do one thing, and we will get it all done.  Happy New Year to you all.  Manchu.