Homeless veterans being helped back on their feet by local organization

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) —  Veterans Day is next Thursday, honoring those who have served in the United States armed forces. The Ashley Center in Wilmington is giving homeless veterans a place to stay while they look to better their lives.

“If tomorrow a veteran we’ve never met before needs us, we stand ready to step in and serve them,” Katrina Knight with the Good Shepherd Center said. “To end their homelessness just as quickly as we can.”

Knight has been working for years to help veterans who have fallen on hard times.

Up to two dozen people can be housed in the Ashley Center at a time, with Knight and other staff helping them get back on their feet.

Knight says many veterans want to give back after leaving the center.

“They often offer to serve as, sort of informal mentors to the gentlemen who might be new to the experience,” Knight said.

Knight says hearing from a person with a similar story can mean the world to a veteran struggling to make it through a tough time.

“There’s nothing more powerful than being able to spend time with and speak to a fellow veteran who can say, ‘I’ve been there too, I know how difficult it is,’ Knight added. “But if I can do it, you can do it too.”

Veteran Jerome Brown has been at the Ashley Center for 3 weeks, and says it has already made a big difference.

“To know that you’ve got some backup for veterans, that’s real good,” Brown said. “I like that.”

Brown says he’s simply going through a rough patch that could happen to anyone.

“We’re no different than the next person,” Brown continued. “We have good days, we have bad days. We have ups, we have downs. Anything can happen on any given day.”

Brown feels confident he will leave the center better than he entered it, thanking the Ashley Center staff for their support.

“It’s like the old saying, ‘leave no veteran behind’,” Brown said. “They stick to that slogan, and they abide by it.”

The Ashley Center has been helping veterans for more than 2 decades, and estimated it’s had hundreds of veterans successfully re-enter the community.