Stories - Mission United

Matt, a 38-year-old U.S. Airforce Veteran, served four and a half years in the rank of Airman First Class and worked as an Airfield Operations Technician. He found it very difficult to find a post-military career similar to the one he had in uniform. After four years of odd jobs to keep afloat, Matt found a position in the hospitality industry.
Matt realized after seven years in the role it didn't match his interests of training.  
While looking into other career options, Matt came across a flyer for United Way of Long Island’s PowerUp! Wind, Solar & Renewables Career Training program. He…

Frank
Returning home from the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook was no simple task for Frank, a U.S. Army veteran. Frank suffered many years of health issues and after 22 surgeries, his right leg was amputated to save his life. Doctors expect Frank to be a permanent wheelchair user, and his home was not accessible. After getting construction quotes up to $20,000, Frank’s wife Claire reached out to United Way for assistance.
“United Way could not have been more understanding and before I knew it, our bathroom was being outfitted to accommodate Frank’s wheelchair,” said Claire. “…

Rev. Eugene & Wife Sylvia
WWII Veteran
Rev. Eugene is an Army Air Corps.Veteran who dedicated his service to our country during WWII.
Following his military service, he moved to New York with his uncle and became an ordained minister. Rev. Eugene worked for an optician in New York City, which is where he met his future wife, Sylvia. The couple married and moved to Long Island. It was in Freeport that they bought their first home together and raised three children, creating endless memories.
Now…50 years later they still remain in their home. When the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic…

Richard & Sonya
VetsBuild graduatesOccupation: Entrepreneurs


Richard and his wife Sonya are ready to start the next chapter of their lives together.
 
Richard served 33 years as an Air Force Reservist in a variety of capacities, including a radiology specialist. Sonya is a military wife and mother. Now, the couple is preparing to start their own business in real estate. 
 
The couple’s career goals have been in development for a number of years. As Sonya explains, “My husband has an entrepreneurial spirit. I wasn’t sure if [real estate] would be profitable but as the years went on I…

Romann
VetsBuild Alumni, Class of 2013
Petty Officer 2nd Class, US Navy Veteran
US Navy Reserves
Occupation: Program Analyst, US Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Romann served two tours, totaling seven years, in the U.S. Navy – one world tour and one West Pacific tour – before entering the U.S. Navy Reserves and serving an additional tour in Kuwait. Having traveled the world at sea, Romann was accustomed to spending limited time with his family. However, during his deployment, Romann’s wife gave birth to their firstborn. Being away for the birth and infancy of his daughter was heartbreaking, but he…

Jeffrey 
PFC US Army Veteran, Military Police Corp, 561st Military Police Company, Fort Meyer, VA 1981-84
Occupation: Medical Supply Technician 
 
A native Long Islander, Jeffrey left Sayville, New York for Fort Meyer, Virginia when he joined the US Army. Jeffrey returned to Long Island and cared for his elderly grandmother. Finances were tight, but upon his grandmother’s passing, Jeffrey was left without a permanent home for five years. He was fortunate to stay with friends for extended periods of time, but it was not a way to live comfortably. Jeffrey’s lifestyle was taxing on his mental…

 
Brian
VetsBuild Graduate
Occupation: Service Technician
Upon graduating high school, Brian, of Coram knew that he wanted to serve his country and enlist in the U.S. Army. In 2006, at the age of 17, he joined as an infantryman on the front lines in the war against terror. While enlisted, he felt a deep sense of purpose, choosing to remain in Infantry instead of transferring to other jobs like many others do.  
 
“Some guys in the army do infantry, and then transition to other jobs like welding, or mechanics. Then, once you get out, you have years of specialized training in a field under…

Daryl is a U.S. Army veteran and a single father raising his 14-year-old daughter in Freeport, doing the best he can to provide her with a happy life. He had been working as an MTA bus driver in Brooklyn for over 10 years, when in 2009 the bus he was driving rolled over a loose construction plate and was dropped into a hole in the street. His hip and back were injured, forcing him to leave work and undergo extensive physical therapy to alieve his pain.
In 2013, he was involved in another accident less serious than the first but it aggravated his already sensitive lingering injuries. He…

When U.S. Army Reserve Veteran Oswaldo lost his job, he found much needed support from United Way’s VetsBuild program to help get him back on his feet. Here is his story in his own words:
 
“I served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1990-98. Recently, I had a steady job that I had held for many years working in the healthcare field. Unfortunately, I was laid off when the contract with my company was not renewed. New York state now requires a certification that was not mandatory when I began in the position. It’s hard to compete with today's workforce that have college degrees and advanced…

At only 36 years old, it seems that Englebert has already lived many different lifetimes. His favorite is the one he is living now – holding a steady, and exciting job as a Solar Installation Professional at EmPower Solar.
Englebert’s parents came to Long Island from Haiti, working 12-hour shift days leaving him to be the man of the house, responsible for his own wellbeing as well as his younger sister. It was difficult for the siblings to have a normal childhood as they were typically left with household responsibilities and no money for clothes or equipment for after school activities. Upon…