Army and National Guard Veteran Darinell Minor is looking forward to a new life here in Little Rock. A water purification and plumbing specialist while in the Army, he has worked in all sorts of jobs from farming to fencing to pest control. He is from Stuttgart Arkansas and has two daughters still living there. “I miss them a lot, but I can’t go back there. Too many people that are doing the same old junk know me.”
Darinell learned that the hard way. He returned to his hometown after his last stay in St. Francis House. “I’d been drinking since I was thirteen or so and then using cocaine and meth for about twenty years. I’d get paid on Friday and wake up on Saturday with about thirty cents in my pocket. At one point I was so stressed I thought about killing myself. I went into treatment at the VA and then came to St. Francis House. Then I moved home and pretty soon I was hanging around the wrong people again. I went back into treatment, and now I’m back here.”
After speaking with his daughters, they all agreed that it would be better for him to stay away from old haunts. So Darinell is planning to make his home here in Little Rock.”I’m waiting on my Social Security benefits since I have arthritis and can’t work anymore. I’ve applied for my HUD-Vash voucher, and I hope I’ll be getting my own apartment soon.” HUD-VASH is a collaborative program between HUD and the VA that combines HUD housing vouchers with VA supportive services to help Veterans who are homeless find and sustain permanent housing.
“My advice? Walk away from trouble. I’m just thankful to the VA caseworkers who helped me when I was so down, and to St. Francis House for helping me. I looked at other places, and I can tell anyone who needs it that St. Francis House is the best place to go.” Thank you for your service Darinell, and God bless you in your life here in Little Rock!