December 12, 2024 — Enlisted for Life is a non-profit organization that seeks to help veterans who have fallen on hard times. When Region 7 Coordinator Barbara Stransky heard of the organization and their mission, she knew PEF members in the North Country would want to help.
“Chris Lanz and I met with Sean Carroll, found of Enlisted for Life and the first veteran of the program, Jason,” said Stransky. “Jason, a Marine, originally from Franklin County, emphasized how important the program is to him. Enlisted for Life is providing him with housing and vocational training in hopes of a fresh start.”
Region 7 members donated blankets, towels, paper supplies, snacks and cleaning supplies to stock the bedrooms for the incoming veterans. Some even brought instant meal items like macaroni and cheese bowls and instant coffee.
“Many cleaning supplies and personal care supplies are still needed,” said Stransky. “I was honored to present these donations to Enlisted for Life.”
Stransky felt strongly about the mission of Enlisted for Life, and decided Region 7 should do everything they can to help them achieve their goals.
“People who have served our country and fought to protect our freedoms should never be homeless,” said Stransky. “The term ‘homeless veterans’ should not exist in our society.”
“The multiple boxes of things Barbara brought is huge,” said Carroll. “It amounts to at least eight months of savings that I can use to put towards their food, which costs $900 a month, or their housing, which is $600 a month.”
Carroll spent 18 months in Afghanistan as a contractor with the State Department, and struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) upon his return.
“I came home to nothing. I had nowhere to go,” he recalled. “But it was actually a man I saw in Manhattan in 2018 that made me realize what I needed to do.”
The man in Manhattan was a Vietnam veteran. After spending hours with him, Carroll decided to make it his mission to help him and other veterans who too often struggle to find housing, jobs, and essentials after returning from war.
Carroll described the focus of Enlisted for Life in “phases,” with Phase One being outreach — finding veterans and speaking with them to help get them started.
“When we started, it was all about feeding and clothing homeless veterans. We were basically paying out of pocket,” said Carroll. “Our supplies dwindled pretty fast, but eventually people started spreading the word and donating to help.”
This is where Phase Two kicked in. Carroll began getting calls from veterans who needed help getting to their healthcare appointments. He and his team, now firmly established in and around the Saratoga area, began providing rides, donating power chairs and even building wheelchair ramps when needed.
“It was all about trying to help vets make ends meet,” he said. “At this point, I knew that we wanted to bring veterans from being dependent to independent. So, we’ve begun moving into Phase Three.”
Phase Three is to create a safe place where homeless veterans can live and rebuild their lives. Enlisted for Life’s goal is to take homeless veterans and “get them back to zero.”
“Zero” is the place where a veteran feels respected and safe enough to build a life again. Carroll personally evaluates each veteran, making sure they are ready to do the hard work of rebuilding their lives.
“We want to know what works before we start scaling up. We have a good amount of funding and some resources, but we want to make sure we have as much as possible before we move ahead,” said Carroll.
Enlisted for Life was able to secure dormitories located in Plattsburgh as part of a partnership with MHAB a nonprofit that helps people in all stages of recovery. Starting in January 2025, the program will provide food, housing, counseling resources, healthcare and other services. The program will also offer job opportunities and help veterans open bank accounts and build financial success.
Carroll is providing housing for eight veterans to start. He hopes to find someone willing to donate an eight-passenger van, new or used.
Anyone wishing to donate to Enlisted for Life can do so by visiting the website.
“PEF and Barbara have been so critical in helping us get up and running,” said Carroll. “If not for you, we would not be here. It truly takes a community to get a homeless veteran off the streets.”