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36

BEST OF CLAYTON 2014 We Are Clayton Magazine

T

he

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WORDS DOT TOLERSON

PICTURE MICHIE TURPIN

37

We Are Clayton Magazine • www.weareclayton.com • AUG | SEP 2014

At that moment another RPG (rocket-

propelled grenade) ambushes your team,

propelling you through the air. There is a

radiating sensation down one side of your

body; another sharp sting to your shoulder.

The sound of your breath competes with the

ringing in your ears--louder than a stadium

of cheering Braves fans. The earth turns

black and you fall to the ground. It is day five

of 6, 570 days that you will be deployed in

the most frightening voluntary nightmare of

your life.

A mere glimpse of what deployed soldiers

experience; it is a sobering illustration of the

movie reel that plays on repeat in their mind

long after they return from war. When young

people join the military it is for a variety of

valid reasons: to escape their environment,

obtain a trade and education, to have access

to free healthcare for their family, to serve

their country (all honorable reasons); the list

goes on. But after they have placed their life

on the line to defend our U.S. Constitution

what do we give them in return? Hundreds

of thousands of servicemen feel they are

invisible in this postwar landscape, fighting

for benefits, grappling to earn a fair income,

toiling with psychological demons unchained

by combat, coping with a fractured family life

and re-adjusting to the financial strains of

home-ownership.

“To date we’ve donated over 120 homes and

more than 50 of them to veterans through

the Military Warrior Support Foundation,” said

Veronica Clemons Assistant Vice President

of Consumer Lending Communications for

Wells Fargo. In 2012 the financial institution

created a strategy to pro-actively develop

programs that address the barriers so many

veterans face. In January of 2013, they

allocated $35M to programs providing jobs,

customized financial education, and housing.

“$30M of the allocation was specifically

dedicated to the housing program,” clarified

Angela Van der Werf, Wells Fargo REO

Community Development Manager. Having

successfully partnered with the Military

Warriors Support Foundation (MWSF)

previously for charitable initiatives, it was

intuitive to collaborate again on a program

where wounded veterans could be awarded

a mortgage-free home. With a mission to

combat wounded heroes with ‘a smooth

and successful transition’ into civilian life,

MWSF is responsible for interviewing and

qualifying service members for the housing

program. Wells Fargo donates the homes,

generally real estate owned (foreclosures),

and is responsible for renovation and repairs.

“It’s always emotional. This is a new chapter

in their life and I always look forward to that

moment where you can see them imagining

birthday parties and holidays in their new

home,” said Jeanne Goldie, Wells Fargo

Regional Program Manager. To date Wells

Fargo has donated homes in excess of half of

their $30M budget and one of those homes

was presented to a local hero named Darius

Brown.

Brown is a Purple Heart veteran who was

shot during an ambush in Afghanistan. He

also deals with the invisible injury of the

psychological effect of combat. He has seen

trauma and death in the most egregious

forms and the shy 25 year old wisely takes

each day as it comes. He is fortunate to

have a support system that consists of his

mother Teresa, uncle and his 2 year old

daughter Kobe that sticks to him as if they

were conjoined. The glimmer in both of

their eyes as they played together on the

couch telegraphed their mutual love and

affection. His mother lives with him as well

and provides him with the full-time care

that he needs. The word ‘proud’ does not do

justice to what she feels for her brave son.

His uncle, also a veteran, is a sounding board

as someone who can identify with Brown’s

unique experiences in a way that civilians are

not able. Elated to be back in America, the

country still feels somewhat foreign because

of all of the changes the country went

through during an extended absence while

deployed. At times he has felt unsettled,

lost and uncertain about his future. Military

service, even without combat, can change

a person, and often relatives, friends and

employers have a difficult time dealing with

the change in personality. Although grateful

to be alive, on those challenging days when

the memories of witnessing friends lose

their life is particularly vivid, Brown admits,

“Not coming back to the states with [his

fellow soldiers] was very difficult.”

Sitting in his new three-bedroom split level

home granted to him over the summer,

we talked about his life growing up as the

second oldest child in his family, his lifelong

love for basketball and his southern chivalry.

His mother commented in agreement as I

repeatedly remarked about how respectful

and accommodating he was. As I peered

outside at their lush, beautiful yard I asked

what the opportunity of a mortgage-free

home meant to him. “I’m overwhelmed that

I was selected,” he said staring down at his

daughter who was now skipping across the

family room. “I’m happy just knowing that

one day when I’m no longer here this will be

left to her,” he said in a quiet voice.

Wells Fargo and MWSF are not just providing

a feel good moment for veterans, but they

are also part of the solution to addressing

homelessness in the United States. In their

2014 State of Homeless Report, the National

Alliance to End Homelessness reported that

“on a single night in 2013, 610,042 people

were experiencing homelessness and

58, 063 were veterans.” The same report

indicated that shifts in the way communities

respond to homelessness have primed the

country to make great strides in ending

homeless nationally. [1]

Returning home to the United States is a

fragile time for our military heroes, and their

families. Service members want to come back

to a country that embraces them warmly,

positively and strongly, validating that their

service and sacrifice is valued. Wells Fargo

and Military Warrior Support Foundation

have confirmed this in an unforgettable way

for Darius Brown and his family.

[1] State of Homeless Report. National Alliance

to End Homelessness 2014

38

BEST OF CLAYTON 2014 We Are Clayton Magazine

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