Helping Homeless Veterans

Last night Gretchen @codeofvets expressed her frustration that so many veterans are homeless.  It's a vexing problem.  The conditions that create this problem aren't going away anytime soon.

No one really represents the homeless.  This humanity crisis is faceless.  It's not an attractive cause.  Who will go to Washington and lobby for the programs that will help these people?  That's what it will take.

Drug addiction and mental health programs must be tailored for the homeless.  D.C. Politicians will be loathe to spend on programs that don't target a voting block.  Transitional housing and access to jobs with be needed.  None of this will be fully funded without a strong presence in D.C. to put pressure on lawmakers.

Next media coverage is needed to advance the issue.  Putting faces and stories to the homeless crisis will help put pressure on politicians.  The media tend to focus on the problems caused by the homeless and not the people that are homeless.  People have been led to believe the homeless are somehow not capable of being rehabilitated.  That's, as we used to say, a cop out.

I know from my own experience what has happened to most of these people.  At some point, they were dispossessed.  They lacked the means to get back to a stable existence.  It's usually the loners like myself that fall through the cracks.

Preventing homelessness should be the top priority.  Once someone has become homeless bringing them back is much harder than prevention.  Identifying those most likely to become homeless is paramount.

There's no easy answers for homelessness.  It's not an attractive cause but public perception must change for this problem to be properly addressed.  It will be an ongoing effort.

Before I finish please let me mention my own story.  I'm out of work due to health concerns. I still have my job but can't work. I started a GoFundme when this began but the fundraising has gone slowly.  My fault, it's not exactly my strong suite.  Feel free to check it out. If you're uncertain about the GoFundme platform you may contribute directly through my PayPal
My suggestion would be to levy a tax to provide a permanent revenue for homeless programs.  It would require the funds to be dedicated and not become a part of the general budget.

This problem cannot and should not be ignored. We must advocate for these people and help them regain their dignity.

William Kirby McCain 

With Your Help

Another boring post chronicling my slow to go fundraiser and time out of work.  It's now been over two months since I've worked or received a paycheck. Please feel free to check out my fundraiser page and the updates for more details. My medical saga began eleven years ago when I had a triple bypass and was diagnosed with atherosclerosis.

Now that I'm getting older the doctors are ordering more and more tests to let me continue to work. In 2016 I had a endarterectomy to clear my left carotid.

In 2018 I missed three months of work while a nuclear stress test and heart catheterization was done.  Why did it take so long?  First I schedule a appointment. Then the stress test is scheduled. After the test an appointment is scheduled to review the test. There's a week or more between each of those steps and then the process was repeated for the catheterization.

If the process of testing is slow then my attempt at fundraising is equally slow.  As a result I've put everything of value in the pawn shop to stay afloat.  The biggest hit was the motorcycle. If I get back to work I can save it. Until then I'm relying on public transportation.

'06 Kawasaki 900 Vulcan

I was hopeful that one of the #TwitterPhilanthropy veteran oriented groups might retweet my fundraiser. And Bill Pulte @pulte is absolutely swamped by people that need help.  And he's doing a wonderful thing.

The Veteran groups such as CodeofVets have been quite, too.  And there could be a reason.  While I received a honorable discharge there was a set of circumstances that required me to get out early.

Shortly after I enlisted my mother passed suddenly at forty-seven.  It was a terrible shock.

My father, a WWII veteran, took my mother's passing exceptionally hard. Dad began to drink more often and my younger brothers often had to look after themselves.  Dad had been seriously wounded during the war and most certainly suffered from PTSS.  As time passed the situation at home for my brothers became worse and my father wanted me to come home and help shore things up.  He contacted our senator and I was transferred to Ft. McPherson until I was discharged.  It wasn't what I wanted to do at the time but I have no regrets.  I don't know how that might look for anyone that wants to vet my service but it is what it is.  If that would be the cause for the veteran groups not supporting my fundraiser that's fine, they're doing fantastic work for a lot of veterans.

I would like to thank the incredible people of the Atlanta VA Medical Center.  They're always there for me and they are the greatest.

The GoFundme platform and those like it are a wonderful development on the internet. It is a positive in our sometimes troubled society.  In times of crisis people can quickly reach out to others in need and that's a good thing.

I sat down to write this so that I might better help people understand my situation.  I hope this may allay any doubts about my fundraiser.  If you want to help share my campaign on Twitter and Facebook.  You can donate as little as five dollars and even do so anonymously at my GoFundme page.

If you're adverse of the Gofundme platform you may contribute directly through my PayPal account.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone that has donated to and shared my story.  You're support is making the difference for a senior and veteran that will get back on his feet and go on to help others.

Thank you and God Bless 
Kirby