Paul and his family live at HomeFront, Solid Ground’s housing program for veterans and their families experiencing homelessness.
Paul moved into our HomeFront program four years ago. He grew up in Burnsville, graduated from high school and joined the United States Airborne Ranger Army. His four years of service resulted in severe PTSD, leading to housing and employment instability, which caused many complications in his life.
“I was raising my daughters all by myself since they were 1 and 3. It was really hard. We fell on hard times and were in a few shelters. I was very lucky to have the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veteran’s help me find permanent housing with Solid Ground. It impacted us greatly to have solid, stable housing. That was the beginning.”
When Paul moved into HomeFront, he had been unemployed for two years and was at a very low point in his life. With stable housing and intensive case management from his family advocate Hailey, he began to slowly turn his life around. Paul said in the beginning he would call Hailey saying “I don’t know what to do. But she stuck with us and is a great advocate for me and my girls. Hailey told me ‘you’ll see progress, you will emerge from poverty if you keep showing up’ – and I learned to show up.”
Paul signed up for Veteran’s Benefits and increased his income. He worked to improve his mental health and started working at Good Will Easter Seals where he got into a Fathers Program and received help finding a full-time State job with medical and retirement benefits. With hard work, perseverance, and a safe place to call his own, Paul has built a strong foundation for himself and his family.
“Today my girls are 15 and 16, they go to high school, have a great work ethic and good jobs – and they are emerging from this too. We are in such a better place than we were. It was very helpful to have someone like Hailey, I can’t even begin to tell you how much that support means.”
Paul has many plans for the future. He was able to buy a reliable car to get to work, is thinking about buying a house, and is supporting his girls as they continue their education beyond high school. Because of Solid Ground, Paul is building the kind of life his family needs and deserves!
2023 Statistics
- HomeFront works with veterans experiencing homelessness, providing affordable housing and supportive services to 10 households, including eight families and two single adults, in a permanent supportive housing setting in Maplewood, MN.
- In 2023, the program served 34 adults and children (11 families).