What we’re all about

Green Up Up is about establishing a Community of empowered Veterans able to contribute to society just as they did while they selflessly served our country. After returning back home after service, it’s easy to feel isolated, as many of your peers seem to be at a different stage in their lives. The truth is, returning Veterans are simply in a transitional stage. With the proper information and support, this transition into the civilian society can be made easier. It is much easier when there is a supportive community of like-minded individuals to lean on as you approach transition.

We’re also creating a community of Difference Makers. Those people who want so badly to serve others and give back to the men and women who selflessly gave so much of their lives to serve our country. Popular belief may suggest that a Veteran serves and returns home and can acclimate back into society without any issues. This is a flawed belief. Many Veterans experience a lack of healthcare, transitional support, and anxiety in seemingly normal social settings. By creating a sub-culture of Difference Makers, we can reach an unlimited amount of Veterans in need. Click the Get Involved tab above to find out how our start-up program works!

Progress! Progress is a process and the rate of progress is different for each Veteran. Small steps in the right direction can lead forming positive and healthy habits, which, in turn, lead to a lifestyle change. Progress can be made easier if our Veterans have less stress in their lives. Stress can come from anywhere and everywhere. Providing food, clothing, health care products, and educational and career resources can alleviate some of that stress and allow the Veteran to focus on their individual goals. For you, progress may mean earning that degree or promotion, but for some Veterans, progress can mean three meals a day, or having hot water. We want to identify the individual needs of each Veteran and provide the support they need to progress.

Purpose! Each Veteran had an important purpose while serving. It can be difficult to find that same feeling of purpose in the civilian environment. Finding and maintaining suitable fulfilling employment is a goal we aim to achieve. We are doing this through number of ways. Simply looking good can change your whole mindset. Knowing this, we provide professional clothing acceptable for job interviews as well as employment itself. In addition to this, we help Veterans understand the hiring and interview processes and assist with their preparation so they can enter this stage with confidence. The ultimate goal of Green Up Up is to help our Veterans find their purpose and be able to provide for themselves and their families.

Who we serve

Simply put, we aim to serve the underserved. America’s Veterans are exactly that. Veterans can be the most valuable resource to the job force. Equipped with the leadership qualities many top tier managers posses, Veterans can provide businesses with a missing component essential for their growth.

Unfortunately, too many able, willing, and exceptional Veterans do not have the means to provide for themselves or their families. Unable to find suitable employment creates a lack of food, shelter, healthcare, clothing, and support. If we can cater to as many of these needs as possible, the likelihood of those Veterans getting back on their feet and in a positive mind state is high. The bottom line is, we want to help, and each Veteran is important to us!

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 9% being female. The majority are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About 11% of the adult homeless population are veterans.

Roughly 45% of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 10.4% and 3.4% of the U.S. veteran population, respectively.

Homeless veterans are younger on average than the total veteran population. Approximately 9% are between the ages of 18 and 30, and 41% are between the ages of 31 and 50. Conversely, only 5% of all veterans are between the ages of 18 and 30, and less than 23% are between 31 and 50.

America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone.

About 1.4 million other veterans, meanwhile, are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.