
MetroFocus: January 10, 2023
1/10/2023 | 28mVideo has Closed Captions
“LONG ISLAND’S FORGOTTEN HEROES”
Hundreds of veterans are believed to be homeless on Long Island, and Matthew Simoni, a former vet who experienced homelessness himself, has teamed up with his wife, Jade Pinto, to help these former service members in need. Their work is highlighted in the film, “Long Island’s Forgotten Heroes," which they discuss tonight.
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MetroFocus is a local public television program presented by THIRTEEN PBS

MetroFocus: January 10, 2023
1/10/2023 | 28mVideo has Closed Captions
Hundreds of veterans are believed to be homeless on Long Island, and Matthew Simoni, a former vet who experienced homelessness himself, has teamed up with his wife, Jade Pinto, to help these former service members in need. Their work is highlighted in the film, “Long Island’s Forgotten Heroes," which they discuss tonight.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>>> ON LONG ISLAND, MILITARY VETS ARE LIVING IN THE WOODS AND ON THE STREETS.
TONIGHT, MEET THE FORMERLY HOMELESS VETERAN HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM ON A LIFE SAVING MISSION TO GET THESE FORGOTTEN HEROS IN NEED BACK ON THEIR FEET.
"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.
♪♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS," WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.
>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.
AND BY -- >>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."
I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.
EVERY NIGHT ON LONG ISLAND, ADVOCATES SAY THIS COULD BE HUNDRED OF HOMELESS VETERANS LIVING IN THE WOODS OR HIDDEN ON THE SIDE OF BUSY ROADS.
SUFFOLK COUNTY IS HOME TO MORE SERVICE MEMBERS THAN ANY COUNTY IN NEW YORK, AND MATTHEW SIMONI, A FORMER VET WHO EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS HIMSELF HAS MADE IT HIS MISSION TO SUPPORT VETERANS WITHOUT HOMES AND OHS IN NEED.
HE'S TEAMED UP WITH HIS WIFE JADE PINTO TO START THE ORGANIZATION, BRAVO FOXTROT UNITED VETERANS, WHICH HELPS VETS REBUILD THEIR LIVES BY PROVIDING EVERYTHING FROM JOBS AND FOOD TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
THEIR LIFE SAVING WORK IS NOW FEATURED IN THE POWERFUL NEW DOCUMENTARY, "LONG ISLAND'S FORGOTTEN HEROES."
THE FILM IS SHOWING THURSDAY, JANUARY 26th AT THE INN AT NEW HYDE PARK ON LONG ISLAND.
HERE'S A CLIP.
♪ ♪♪ >> I ONLY WANTED TO COME BACK HOME, NOT JUST TO BE APPRECIATED, BUT TO COME BACK HOME TO WHO I WAS BEFORE.
I REMEMBER SO MANY MEMORIES OF MY BATTALION IN CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, TELLING ME GOOD JOB, GREAT JOB, EXCELLENT JOB.
BUT WHEN I CAME BACK HOME, THERE WAS NOTHING THERE.
>> THE VETERANS ARE NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED.
AFTER MY DISCHARGE IN 2016, I WAS HOMELESS.
I WAS LIVING BEHIND A GAS STATION.
THEY'RE NOT EVERYBODY ELSE.
THEY'RE NOT -- THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT LIKE THE OFFICE GUY.
THEY ARE DIFFERENT AND THEY SHOULD REALLY BE ABLE TO APPRECIATE THAT RATHER THAN BE EMBARRASSED ABOUT IT OR PUNISH THEMSELVES OVER IT.
>> I KNOW DEEP DOWN INSIDE THAT I -- I DID EVERYTHING THAT I COULD DO, BUT THERE WAS NO ONE HERE WHEN I CAME HOME THAT STAYED WITH ME.
>> AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY EVERYBODY'S FAULT, BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO HELP VETERANS.
BUT THERE'S ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
SO WE'RE HERE TO FILL IN THE GAPS.
WE'RE HERE TO BRIDGE THE GAPS.
>> AND JOINING ME NOW ARE MATT SIMONI AND JADE PINTO.
IN ADDITION TO HELPING LONG ISLAND'S FORGOTTEN HEROES, THEY'RE ALSO COFOUNDER OF BRAVO FOXTROT UNITED VETERANS.
>> I GOT TO SAY, IT IS -- WHAT AN HONOR TO BE ON PBS.
WHAT A LONG WAY THAT WE HAVE CAME.
AND I MEAN, AS I SIT HERE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN OUR HEADQUARTERS LOCATION, LOCATE IN THE BAY SHORE RIGHT AT THE TRAIN STATION.
I -- I -- IT'S SO REAL.
THIS IS SO REAL TO ME.
AND IT'S JUST -- WHAT AN AMAZING GIFT.
AND JADE, I MEAN -- JADE HAS BEEN -- SHE'S BEEN SUCH AN INTEGRAL PART OF SAVING MY LIFE, AND WHEN I GOT DISCHARGED -- I'LL SAVE THIS, BUT SHE'S MY BETTER HALF THAT, YEAH, I GOT TO INTRODUCE YOU.
THERE YOU GO.
>> WELL, JADE, YOU KNOW, WHEN MATT DID GET DISCHARGED, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THERE'S -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS FILM MAKES VERY, VERY CLEAR IS HOW PRECIOUS LITTLE MOST CIVILIANS UNDERSTAND ABOUT NOT ONLY MILITARY LIFE, BUT VETERAN LIFE.
AND SO WHEN YOU FIRST MET MATT, WHAT WAS -- WHAT WAS YOUR CONNECTION?
WHAT WAS IT THAT SAID TO YOU, THIS IS SOMEONE WHO I WANT TO HELP?
>> WHEN I FIRST MET HIM IT WAS RIGHT WHEN HE GOT OUT.
HE WASN'T COMPLETELY THERE.
AS I GOT TO KNOW HIM MORE AND WE STARTED SPEAKING, HE WAS IN THERE, HE JUST WASN'T THERE.
HE WAS STILL BACK IN EVERYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED, WHICH IS WHAT WE FIND WITH A LOT OF THESE GUYS -- THEY'RE STILL THERE.
AND JUST THROUGH OUR FRIENDSHIP -- >> LIKE WHEN YOU SAY THERE, LIKE, BACK IN SERVICE OR IN, AS WE CALL IT IN THE MILITARY, IN THEATER, AND SORRY, JUST WANT TO -- SO EVERYBODY CAN GET THIS.
AND IT'S -- WHEN WE DEPLOY, AND EVERYBODY OUT THERE, YOU EXPERIENCE A TRAUMATIC EVENT THAT CHANGES YOUR LIFE.
LIKE AS JADE HAS TAUGHT ME, A PIECE OF OUR SOUL IS LEFT THERE.
AND IT CHANGES WHO WE ARE ON A VERY REAL LEVEL.
JADE HAS ENABLED ME TO REALIZE THIS AND TO REGAIN SOME ASEMBLANCE OF PIECE.
AND LET IT NOT BE MISTAKEN -- THIS IS SOMETHING I'LL DEAL WITH FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE A WITH EVERY OTHER VETERAN, BUT THERE'S A POSITIVE MESSAGE THAT COMES ALONG WITH THAT, AND I'M SURE WE'LL GET TO THAT.
>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE THEATER YOU WERE FIGHTING IN, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT DID YOU SERVE IN, WHAT BRANCH OF THE MILITARY?
>> I SERVED FROM 2006 TO 2016.
I ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
AND I SERVED IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, OPERATION NEW DAWN, AND TO ADD TO THAT, PANAMA AND MANY OTHER CLASSIFIED MISSIONS THROUGHOUT NORTHERN AFRICA.
I'VE -- I'VE OPERATED IN NEARLY EVERY COUNTRY NORTH OF DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, AND THAT IS -- THAT EXPERIENCE REALLY, REALLY CHANGED MY LIFE AND MY VIEW ON THE WORLD.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE FILM MAKES SO CLEAR WITH THE TESTIMONY FROM SO MANY VETERANS IS HOW WHEN YOU ARE TRAINED IN THE MILITARY, YOU ARE TRAINED TO BE A KILLER AND THAT UNTRAINING THAT TAKES A LOT LONGER THAN IT TAKES TO TRAIN THAT.
AND JADE, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, COMING FROM THE CIVILIAN PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS IT THAT A LOT OF US MIGHT BE MISSING OR MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHY SO MANY VETERANS STRUGGLE THE WAY THEY DO?
>> WELL, ABSOLUTELY, THE REASON IT TAKES SO MUCH LONGER TO UNTRAIN IT IS PHYSICALLY PARTS OF THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM ARE REACTING TO THE TRAINING AND TRAUMA.
AS FAR AS, LIKE, THE PEOPLE THEY COME HOME TO, I FEEL THEY'RE VERY UNAWARE OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
WE CAN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT CHANGES HAVE HAPPENED DUE TO WHAT THEY'VE SEEN.
PROBABLY NEVER WILL, WHICH NO OFFENSE, BUT I'M HAPPY I HAVEN'T SEEN.
THAT I DON'T WANT TO.
>> I WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO EITHER.
>> WHICH IS WHY WE APPRECIATE THE MILITARY SO MUCH.
>> MM-HMM.
>> THE FAMILIES ARE NOT VERY EDUCATED ON THEIR RETURN ON WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, WHICH MAKES IT EVEN HARDER FOR THEM WHEN THEY COME HOME, BECAUSE NOBODY IS THERE SUPPORTING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE NIGHTMARES OR THE THINGS THEY GO THROUGH THAT MAKE OTHER THINGS DIFFICULT.
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE EDUCATION ON THAT, ABSOLUTELY.
WHEN THEY RETURN THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING PUT IN PLACE THAT ALLOWS THEIR SUPPORT SYSTEM TO BE SUPPORTED.
>> WHAT IMPACT DOES ENLISTING IN THE MILITARY HAVE ON AN INDIVIDUAL'S CHANCES OF BECOMING HOMELESS LATER IN LIFE OF AFTER THEIR MILITARY SERVICE?
AND WHY IS THAT STAT WHAT IT IS?
>> AS MUCH AS I WISH THAT THERE WAS A SOLID BLACK AND WHITE ANSWER, THERE CERTAINLY ISN'T.
MANY SHADES OF GRAY IN THERE.
SO I CAN -- PERSONALLY, I CAN LOOK BACK ON MY MILITARY CAREER IN RETROSPECT AND I CAN SAY IT MADE ME WHO I AM TODAY, IT HAS INSTILLED IN ME A SYSTEM OF VALUES, AN ETHIC AND EXPERIENCES THAT I WOULDN'T -- IF I GO BACK I WOULD NEVER CHANGE.
HOWEVER, AS A RESULT OF MY MILITARY SERVICE, IT HAS ALSO BROUGHT ME TO THE DEEPEST DEPTHS OF DESPAIR THAT I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED AND IF I MAY SAY SO, I HAVE BEEN THROUGH A GOOD AMOUNT.
THE MESSAGE THAT I REALLY WANT TO PUT OUT THERE IS THAT ALTHOUGH ENLISTING IN THE MILITARY RESULTS -- THE CHANCES OF YOU SUCCEEDING IN YOUR LIFE POST MILITARY SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE.
IT'S TROUBLING, RIGHT?
BUT THERE'S A SOLUTION TO IT, AND I'M NOT PUTTING DOWN THE MILITARY.
I LOVE IT.
I AM A PATRIOT.
I SAY THAT.
I WANT TO SAY IT AGAIN.
I'M A PATRIOT OF OUR GREAT NATION.
AND I BELIEVE THE PRINCIPLES THAT THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED UPON ARE SECOND TO NONE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO REPRIORITIZE SOME THINGS.
I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO KEEP IT, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT REAL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO -- ONE OF THE ASPECTS THAT WE NEED TO REPRIORITIZE IS OUR VETERANS.
I MEAN, THESE ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WORE THE CLOTH OF OUR NATION THAT SIGNED CHECK -- SIGNED ON THE DOTTED LINE SAYING THAT THEY WOULD -- THAT THEY WOULD PUT ON THE LINE THEIR LIFE A CHECK PAYABLE UP TO AND INCLUDING THE PRICE OF THEIR LIFE TO DEFEND THE FREEDOMS AND SOVEREIGNTY OF EACH AND EVERY CIVILIAN -- CITIZEN LIVING WITHIN OUR NATION.
THAT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN SO LIGHTLY.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WITH THE EPIDEMIC GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WITH VETERANS LIVING IN OUR NATION, HOMELESS VETERANS COMMITTING SUICIDE AT A RATE OF 22 PER DAY, ATTEMPTING SUICIDE AT 25 PER HOUR, IT'S ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS, AND THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THIS SHOULD BE HAPPENING.
SO I BELIEVE THAT VETERANS AND PEOPLE ADVOCATING LIKE OUSTS FOR VETERANS CAN CREATE A PROTOTYPE, RIGHT?
A PROTOTYPE THAT CAN BE FOLLOWED NOT ONLY FOR VETERANS BUT FOR OTHER MINORITY GROUPS.
>> I THINK A LOT OF THE -- I THINK THE DETACHMENT HAPPENS WHEN THEY LEAVE TO GO BACK TO CIVILIAN LIFE.
IT SEEMS TALKING TO ALL OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN OVER THIS TIME -- BECAUSE EVERYBODY SINGLE ONE A THEM LOVES THEIR SERVICE.
THEY LOVE IT.
I HEAR THEM TALKING, AND THEY LOVE IT.
THERE'S SUCH A CAMARADERIE, AND A FAMILY WAS IN IT THAT THEY WOULDN'T GIVE UP.
IT'S ON TRANSITIONING TO CIVILIAN LIFE WHERE THAT SUPPORT KIND OF DROPS OUT BENEATH THEM AND THINGS START SHOWING UP FOR THEM BECAUSE NOW THEY DON'T FIT WHERE THEY USED TO FIT.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S WHERE THE -- THIS HAPPENED.
ALL OF A SUDDEN THEIR TRAUMA BECOMES MORE PRONOUNCED AND NO ONE IS THERE TO TALK TO ABOUT IT UNTIL THEY FIND A COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE.
>> ONE OF THE THING IS FOUND SO PROFOUND ABOUT THIS FILM WAS THAT IT'S NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT HOMELESS VETS.
YOU GUYS ACTUALLY TAKE US TO AND SHOW US WHERE SOME VETS WITHOUT HOMES ARE LIVING AND HOW THEY'RE LIVING.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO TOSS TO A CLIP OF MATT, YOU LITERALLY GOING INTO THE WOODS WHERE A GENTLEMAN HAS A TENT AND YOU'RE BRINGING HIM SOME SUPPLIES, WHICH IS PART OF WHAT YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES.
HERE'S THE CLIP.
>>> ALL RIGHT, SO -- CHECK IT OUT, MAN.
WATER, RIGHT.
LIKE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S AN AUTOMATIC BLOWUP MATTRESS.
THAT'S A NICE BLANKET, SO I'M GOING TO THROW THAT IN THERE SO I WON'T THROW IT ON THE DIRT.
>> OVER THERE WENT DOWN TO LIKE 8 DEGREES.
>> AND STAYED WARM?
>> YEAH.
>> WHAT DID YOU HAVE INSULATING THE TENT?
NOTHING.
>> I HAD LIKE 12 BLANKETS, I HAD A MATTRESS.
.
YOU KNOW, MY TEDDY BEAR.
>> THE TEDDY BEAR IS THE ONLY THING I NEED TO KEEP WARM.
I'M COMING BACK.
BRING THIS MAN A TEDDY BEAR.
ALL RIGHT.
NO, BUT SERIOUSLY, 8 DEGREES, IN THE WINTER,U OUT HEAR IN THE WINTER.
IT'S NOT EASY.
PEOPLE DON'T THINK -- I KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE TO BE OUTSIDE AND NOT HAVE SHELTER IN THE WINTER.
IN NEW YORK NONETHELESS.
WHEN IT GOT REAL COLD AT NIGHT, I WOULD GO INTO A DUMPSTER, CLOSE THE LATCH.
AND SOMETIMES IT HAD THE CLOTHES DRIVES OR -- AND GO IN THERE AND HUNKER DOWN INTO THE CLOTHES AND THAT WOULD BE THE BEST THING TO KEEP WARM OR FEEL SAFE AT NIGHT.
BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT A BAD SPOT YOU GOT HERE.
>> BLOCKED THE WIND IF IT'S COMING FROM THE -- >> RIGHT.
HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON, EVERYBODY?
IF YOU NOTICE, RIGHT HERE TO MY LEFT YOU SEE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON.
NOW, A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, WE WERE HERE -- WE WERE HERE, AND THERE WAS HOMELESS VETS, A HOMELESS VETERAN CAMP HERE THAT WE HAVE BEEN VISITING AND HELPING OUT.
AND IT'S GONE.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY AND COMPLETELY -- COMPLETELY GONE NOW.
THEY WERE GOING TO BRING BULLDOZERS THROUGH, RIGHT?
>> EVERY MARCH.
>> EVERY MARCH, KNOCK DOWN THE CAMPS.
>> NOW THEY'RE TOTALLY -- >> NOW IT'S DONE.
BUT NOW WHERE ARE THESE MISPLACED VETERANS?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
>> THE MOST DIFFICULT POINT OF MY LIFE THAT I WENT THROUGH WAS THE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS POST DISCHARGE.
AND LET IT NOT BE MISTAKEN, THIS IS SOMETHING I WILL LIVE WITH FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
IT'S ABOUT ACCEPTANCE.
ACCEPTANCE FOR ONE'S SELF, FINDING THAT DRIVE, THAT AMBITION, THAT REASON TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING.
BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
PEOPLE HAVE DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THAT, AND AS MUCH AS PEOPLE WANT TO HELP VETERANS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS, THEY DON'T WANT IT IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD.
AS MUCH AS THEY WANT TO HELP VETERANS.
NOW, THIS PRESENTS A PROBLEM, BECAUSE WHERE DO WE GO?
SO WE HAVE HAD ISSUES, NEEDLESS TO SAY.
IT WAS TIME TO TAKE ACTION.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES IN ORDER TO MAKE A CHANGE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE NOISE.
>> NOW, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, YOU GUYS MAKE SURE TO SERVE A WIDE VARIETY OF MILITARY VETS, PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM UP TO THE CURRENT WARS AND THE GULF, ET CETERA.
BUT YOU ALSO MAKE IT A POINT TO SHOW A DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE OF COLOR AS WELL, BECAUSE WHEN YOU ADD IN, UNFORTUNATELY, RACE INTO A LOT OF THESE ISSUES, THE CHANCES OF HOMELESSNESS -- A LOT OF THE VARIABLES BECOME EVEN MORE HEIGHTENED.
>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE THIS, BUT MINORITY COMMUNITIES ARE THREE TIMES AS LIKELY TO ENLIST IN THE MILITARY AS COMPARED TO -- WHAT DO WE WANT TO CALL IT?
WHITE AMERICA.
NOW, THIS IS -- THIS IS AN ISSUE, NOT IN THE SENSE OF -- THAT MINORITIES ARE ENLISTING AT A THREEFOLD RATE, BUT THIS IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE WHY IS THIS NOT BEING RECOGNIZED?
WHY HAS LIGHT NOT -- NOT CAME TO -- NOT CAME TO THIS ISSUE WE ARE DEALING WITH IN OUR NATION?
AND LET ME SAY THIS -- THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN RIGHT NOW, IT IS -- SORRY -- IT IS SPLIT BETWEEN LEFT AND RIGHT.
I WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE NONPARTISAN HERE AT BRAVO FOXTROT UNITED VETERANS.
>> MM-HMM.
>> I BELIEVE WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AS A NATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED SERVING IN THE MILITARY -- LET ME SAY SOMETHING -- THAT WHEN YOU DEPEND ON THEIR LIFE, YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON THE MAN OR WOMAN TO YOUR LEFT OR RIGHT, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT SKIN TONE, THE AMOUNT OF MELANIN THAT IS IN OUR BODIES.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT RACE, RELIGION, OR CREED.
THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS THIS IS SOME -- THIS IS THEIR FELLOW MAN OR FELLOW WOMAN.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, JADE AND I WE HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE MEMBERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY OF BAY SHORE, THE TOWN OF ISLIP.
WE OPERATE INTO BRENTWOOD, WEST ISLIP, WEST BABYLON, AND WE HEAR TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THERE'S HOMELESS ISSUES.
WE HAVE HOMELESS ISSUES BUT THERE'S LIT TOLL KNOW HOMELESS VETERANS.
WELL, WE MADE THIS DOCUMENTARY, JADE AND I SELF FUNDED -- SELF-FUNDED -- SELF-FUNDED THIS DOCUMENTARY WHILE SELF-FUNDING THE ORGANIZATION.
WHILE RUNNING TWO BUSINESSES.
THIS IS OUR LIFE.
THIS IS REAL TO US.
SO, WE MADE THIS DOCUMENTARY TO SHOWCASE THE FACT THAT, YES, THERE ARE HOMELESS VETERANS OUT THERE.
THERE'S A LOT.
THERE'S A LOT OF US, AND THE NUMBERS THAT ARE BEING RECORDED ARE A FAR CRY FROM THE REALITY OF WHAT'S OUT THERE.
AND ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO CHALLENGE THAT, THEY CAN.
I'LL BE HERE ALL WEEK.
WE CAN GO TAKE A TRIP.
I'LL INTRODUCE YOU.
BELIEVE ME.
>> FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST LEARNING OF YOUR ORGANIZATION AND ARE JUST LIKE -- IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE WORKING ONE TO ONE.
THIS IS NOT TO SLANDER OTHER ORGANIZATIONS BUT YOU GIVE MONEY AND DON'T SEE WHERE IT GOES.
SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS PEOPLE LIKE TO DONATE BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO SEE THEIR MONEY MANY ACTION.
HOW DO PEOPLE SUPPORT YOU?
>> WE'RE NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL.
WE ALL KNOW IN TODAY'S AGE WE'RE NOT LIVING IN THE VIETNAM ERA.
PEOPLE SUPPORT VETERANS.
SO WHY ARE VETERANS LIVING IN THE STREET, IN WOODED LOT, WHY IS THIS STILL HAPPENING?
WHY ARE VETERANS COMMITTING SUICIDE AT A RATE OF 22 A DAY?
THE MESSAGE I'M PUT OUT THERE IS LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL BENEFITS ARE AVAILABLE.
THEY'RE THERE, RIGHT?
AT THE V.A., LOCAL STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS.
ORGANIZATIONS -- ORGANIZATIONS ARE THERE.
THEY HAVE THE BENEFITS ARE THERE.
WHY ARE THEY NOT GETTING TO THE VETERANS?
THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION.
THAT'S WHERE BRAVO FOXTROT UNITED VETERANS COMES IN.
THIS IS THE GAP THAT WE'RE BRIDGING.
SO WE SIMPLY -- SEEMS SO SIMPLE.
WE SIMPLY CONNECT THE VETERANS TO ALL OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, WHETHER GOVERNMENT OR ORGANIZATIONS ON A PRIVATE SECTOR LEVEL TO COMPLETE WHAT WE CALL THE CIRCLE OF RECOVERY, RIGHT?
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO DONATE TO BRAVO FOXTROT.
ALL MATERIAL DONATED ITEMS ARE FREELY DISTRIBUTED TO THE VETERANS.
WE GET THEM FREELY, DISTRIBUTE FREELY TO THE VETERANS.
WE DO NOT COLLECT ANY SALARIES HERE AT BRAVO FOXTROT, AND FURTHER MORE, WE DON'T LIKE TO ASK FOR MONEY.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO.
WE WANT TO SHOWCASE OUR WORK AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHICH IS WHY WE PUT IT UP, AND ANYBODY WHO CEASE IT, WE WOULD HOPE THE GOODWILL OF THE DONATING PUBLIC AND PEOPLE WHO DO DONATE PUT THEIR MONEY IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
WE'RE NOT GOING ASK FOR IT, BUT WE WILL PUT OUT THE INFORMATION, WHICH IS AT BRAVO FOXTROT 1776 FOR PAYPAL AND VENMO, AND YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE, WWW.BRAVOFOXTROT.ORG.
GOD BLESS THE WORLD AND OUR PRINCIPLES.
>> THAT'S A REALLY GREAT POSITIVE NOTE.
MATTHEW SIMONI AND JADE PINTO, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AT BRAVO FOXTROT AND THE DOCUMENTARY.
IT'S A NARRATIVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVEN'T HEARD, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.
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MetroFocus is a local public television program presented by THIRTEEN PBS