I Found Two Homeless Vets Today in Orlando

[rsmith6621]

....I am getting to know Orlando by driving around. Today while driving around the area just south of D.Town Mickey city on Orange Ave I saw two men standing holding cardboard that said HOMELESS and VIETNAM WAR VET...God BLESS. I usually just drive by and do nothing but today was different I stopped and went up to them and talked to them...I asked them about their service and asked them to validate their claim on the signs....both of them pulled out their dog tags and one even pulled out their honorable discharge papers he was DC on Dec 12th, 1976 with 12 years of service he also said he spent two tours in NAM for a total of 18 months.....

I told them that a host of a show on the Fox News denies that large numbers of ex-vets are homeless and said it was in the neighborhood of 200k....they said it is much more..They both told me that finding adequate jobs has been a struggle now that they are in their late 50s early 60s thus they have no benefits nor have income for a home. They lost their jobs due to outsourcing 7 years ago where they worked in support.

I asked them if I could take their picture and send it to Fox News and a radio personality named Ed Schultz they were glad to do so. I also asked if there was anything other than cash that would help them out......FOOD is what they said.......so I got back in my car went down to an Albertson store 5 blocks away and got 2-$25.00 gift cards and stopped by a Temp Firm nearby and asked them if they had probs with hiring someone who served there country but now was homeless...NO they said and got a card from the individual I spoke with and returned back them and gave them these items.....their eyes and spirit filled with joy and I thanked them for their service and drove off......Ill check on them next week.

[Fridays Child]

1. Way to go!

Good work, all the way around! :toast:

[stray cat]

2. Thanks for sharing with the homeless vets and then with us.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

3. you rock

:patriot:

[silverweb]

4. Thank you!

You've made a great difference in these men's lives today.

Please keep us posted on how they're doing when you check back on them.

[uberblonde]

5. Bless you for that.

Thank you for your kindness to those men.

[fascisthunter]

6. We Should Send 1000 Homeless Vets to O'Reilly's Apartment

Oh, I'd love to see such a thing!

[WritersBlock]

7. You wonderful, wonderful person. n/t

[SpiralHawk]

8. "They do not exist." - Bill "Chickenhawk Republicon" O'Reilly

"We republicon homelander propagandists deny the existance of all facts. There cannot possibly be any homeless vets, since we repubublicon chickenhawks do not ever serve America. That is work for the little people. So shut up and go away."

Bill "republicon propaganda boy" O'Reilly

[babylonsister]

9. You are my HERO! Thak you for being so selfless.

:hug:

[CC]

10. Glad you stopped.

If you are going to check on them next week or don't mind letting someone that helps vets find them could you give Marc a call at Vets, Pets & Kids? It is a non-profit and Marc has been helping vets, anyone that is homeless and any homeless with pets by providing food, helping to find shelter and apply for benefits. Westside Techs veterinary technician students even help with trying to get veterinary care, shots and meds for pets of those that find themselves without a home. You can tell him his GF's sister in Maryland told you about it. Thanks in advance.

[Vektor]

24. OT, but that red bird really stands out in your sig line.

What sort of bird is that?

Vets, Pets and Kids seems like a great organization.

[CC]

25. She is a Red Lory.

Loud, messy but a sweetheart and worth it all. We have had her for 19 years now so she is about 24.


On Vets, Pets and Kids...they are small but do a lot somehow. The students at Westside Tech are a lot of help too and get a great learning experience while learning that giving is good.

[Occulus]

28. Five cats, two birds, four dogs, AND a... herd?... of ferrets?

You must be kept busy.

[CC]

29. Yes they do and most of them

are rescues, including the birds. There are only eight living ferrets in the house now unfortunately. They have way to short life spans. Average is 6 years and most of them left are 6, 7 or 8 years old. It is called a business of ferrets for some reason. Herd fits better though. lol

[Vektor]

31. She's lovely!

I've never seen a bird like that before. Are all those critters yours? Looks like you've got a full, but fun house!

[MedleyMisty]

11. Thank you for reminding me that not all humans suck

You're a wonderful person.

[Rick Myers]

12. That's a great story. THANK YOU!

That is a very good deed!!!

I salute you!!!

Rick

:kick:

[canadianbeaver]

13. Now that made my day......and theirs I am sure.

Tearin up right now....

[peace13]

14. Thank you for that!

That's what I'm talking about! You are an inspiration. Very wonderful!!

[pacalo]

15. Thanks for a wonderful account of what being a Democrat is all about.

I'm so impressed!

:yourock:

[mnhtnbb]

16. Good for you!

[thereismore]

17. yes but were they living under a bridge is the question!

:sarcasm:

[monmouth]

18. You truly are an American hero in your own right. What a wonderful

and kind thing to do...

[juajen]

19. I will never forget my sweet Hubbie giving a homeless man

a one hundred dollar bill on a blistery night before Christmas one year. This was before his heart attack and subsequent disability, and we had just received a Christmas bonus from his company. He shared. The homeless man cried. We gave it freely and didn't ask any questions. Have no idea, of course, what he did with it. I hope he shared it with other homeless people. I know, from a personal family experience, that the homeless stick together and share a lot. So, I hope it made him feel good to be able to share with others as it made us feel wonderful to share with him.

We always try to give to the homeless when we have the money to do so. We don't pick them out, and we don't care how they spend it. We only want the load to be lifted, if only temporarily. Thanks to all who have hearts.

[adadem]

20. bless your kind soul n/t

[OneGrassRoot]

21. Beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing. :) n/t

[water]

22. Interesting...

... that you would be accused of being anti-soldier by most Republicans.

[GardeningGal]

23. Thank you for doing that.

Now excuse me while I go get a kleenex.

[Seabiscuit]

26. You rock! Great story and even better citizen action.

:hi: :dem:

[in_cog_ni_to]

27. You are a kindhearted soul. What a wonderful thing to do.

:hug:

[H2O Man]

30. Very good.

Nominated

[otherlander]

32. "Error: You can only reccomend threads which were started in the past 24 hours."

Oh, well.

Seriously, though, :applause: for you!