Maryland Businesses and VFW Come Together to Show Their Support for Veterans
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Anthony Morrissette, a Westminster veteran, was jobless, without a vehicle, and in danger of becoming homeless a few months ago.
The Carroll County Veterans Independence Project assisted Morrissette, 40, in finding employment fast. However, work is useless without dependable transportation. Morrissette claimed that the CCVIP provided long-term assistance that was above and beyond what any other organization could have provided.
When the veteran got a vehicle given by Kim Heard at LaScuola Motorworks Auto Repair last week, he was beaming with joy. Morrissette declared, "I'm a person who has always worked." "I don't like to beg people for anything very often. Since I've always been independent, I have to find a solution if I don't have one. I was in a situation where I felt like I was at my wits' end and had no clue what to do or what would happen before I got this car. I was annoyed. The exit of the passageway was not visible to me.
When Morrissette thought back to his 10-year-old boy urging him to take care of himself, he realized he needed to take action. He claimed that the motivation he required to carry on came from his son, who resides in Virginia.
After serving in the Marine Corps for eight years, until his discharge in 2011, Morrissette put a lot of effort into starting his own handyman company. Unluckily, Morrissette said that finding employment after the pandemic was difficult, and the veteran realized he needed a steady source of money to support himself.
Morrissette said, "I needed to learn how to be autonomous. I wasn't able to take care of myself physically or mentally, and there's a saying that goes, "You can't take care of anyone else until you can take care of yourself."
According to CCVIP Executive Director Jason Sidock, there is a shame associated with asking for assistance. However, after Morrissette entered the organization's doors last winter, experienced advocate Nicole Shifflett of Hampstead was able to guide him through each stage of his new starting.
CCVIP was introduced in 2021. Army veteran Sidock, of Union Mills, stated that the group is special to Carroll because it offers long-term case management and upholds the credo of "never saying no to a veteran in need, no matter what the need." The Kahlert Foundation as well as countless other smaller contributors assist CCVIP.
Morrissette said, “The assistance he received from CCVIP differed from that from other organizations because he always felt Shifflett treated him as a human needing help rather than a box to be checked off.”
Morrisette stated, "I lost all hope." "I had no clue what was going to transpire. I was in danger of becoming destitute and had no idea how I would pay my rent or get around."
Shifflett stated, "I want to create an atmosphere where veterans feel safe seeking assistance and then also demonstrating to them that the promise does come through."
Although the veteran's boss kindly offered to transport him 45 minutes to and from work, Morrissette said this was not a long-term option. Unfortunately, getting assistance can be difficult in and of itself. Veterans who are in need can access resources thanks to CCVIP's collaboration with other neighborhood groups, but many services have revenue requirements.
To solve this issue, we had to think outside the box. Shifflett stated that Kim Heard of Westminster, the mother of one of Shifflett's friends, occurred to be listening to her talk about her work when Heard realized she could assist Morrissette. Like everyone else, Heard admitted, "I'm guilty of saying something needs to be done and then doing nothing."
Heard realized that giving someone who has already given the nation so much the 2004 Cadillac CTS she has resting in her driveway would be a simple gesture. Heard's late father, a Coast Guard veteran, used to drive that vehicle, and she claimed he would have loved the thought of giving it away to help a fellow veteran.
Shifflett's fiancée happened to be a mechanic at LaScuola Motorworks and was able to persuade proprietor John LaScuola to contribute the components and labor to get the car ready for Morrissette. Tires, belts, suspension components, and other items were repaired extensively, and the gift of materials and labor came to about $3,000. Westminster resident LaScuola remarked that giving Morrissette the keys to the vehicle was unexpectedly sentimental and that it felt good to be of service.
"In my opinion, owning a local business entails more than just making money", said LaScuola. "The community is what enables us to exist in the first place, so any opportunity I can find to try and give back makes the most sense. I try to implement that even in smaller ways in my business. It’s part of our business mindset that our main goal is not really to earn money, our main goal is to help the community, and I think that if we do that money will follow.”
The donation of tires was especially kind because LaScuola does not keep tires on hand, according to Sidock. The more recent LaScuola location in Eldersburg is where the repairs were done. The business opened in Randallstown in 1989. Veterans of Foreign Wars District 7 Morrissette received a free tank of gas from Cmdr. Aaron "Doc" Dockery and CCVIP paid for him to receive his tags.
Morrissette said, "This enables me to try to get back on my feet, move into a new place, continue with a good job, have benefits, save up a little bit of money, and ultimately help someone else out."
Sidock stated veterans face distinct hurdles in reacclimating to normal life and any contribution helps.
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