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U.S. Army Veteran John and his wife Kemba reflect on impact of support over the past year from Veterans Community Project.
U.S. Army Combat Veteran John Banks is a family man. With his wife Kemba and their two children, he had built a peaceful life in Estes Park, Colorado, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. His dedication to family, however, also led to them making the difficult decision to move to Dallas, Texas, to try to turn around a struggling family business. There, unfortunately, they were met by a series of life-altering challenges.
Those challenges began when a car accident left the family without transportation, forcing them to rely on long walks and public transportation in often-times dangerous parts of the city. The daily obstacles began to feel insurmountable. The breaking point came when a man approached Kemba with a knife late at night while she was alone at a train station. After prayer, Kemba says, “We decided to go back to the place we felt was home.” They packed everything they owned into a U-Haul and left Texas for Colorado.
At that point, though, home was still just a feeling – not a place. They lived in hotels for months, rapidly depleting their savings as John searched for work. Ultimately, with desperation escalating and homelessness closing in, they reached out to Veterans Community Project of Longmont. And, Kemba says, “They were the first Veteran-serving organization that actually answered our call.”
VCP Case Manager Diane Hayes and the VCP Outreach Services team jumped into action, providing immediate emergency assistance funding to prevent homelessness. Then, they got to work helping the family navigate underlying issues – such as transportation. In another setback, the car they had been borrowing from a friend broke down.
Diane worked with local business Caliber Collision and global corporation Travelers Insurance to enter the family into a charitable giving program. Diane credits John and Kemba for their conscientiousness during the vigorous nomination process, “They really did the work. I couldn’t think of a more deserving family.”
Around this time last year, they were gifted a new vehicle, filled with holiday gifts for the kids thanks to Caliber and Travelers. “We were jumping up and down in the snow when we got the car,” Kemba says. “We were overwhelmed with gratitude.”
The car was more than just transportation – it was a lifeline to stability. It allowed John to pursue better job opportunities. Fittingly, he currently drives both to and for work as a bus driver with a local school district.
Not only that, just a year removed from the brink of homelessness, John and Kemba recently purchased their own home on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. So, yes, home for the holidays is finally both a feeling and a place for the Banks family.
Reflecting on their journey to this point and the assistance from Veterans Community Project, Kemba says, “VCP is a place where Veterans can find the support they need. They create a space where you feel comfortable reaching out, offering kindness and strength to help you get back on your feet and try again.”
She adds, “They gave us hope when we felt like we were losing everything… it was an incredible gift.”
When you support Veterans Community Project this holiday season, you can give that type of gift to another family in need. Consider giving today to help transform a life into the new year.