At heart, Ret. Army Capt. Ryan Hepworth is still a soldier on a rescue mission.
Hepworth and his buddies with the Shadow Warrior Foundation are searching for homeless vets on most Saturdays. With backpacks filled with supplies, they’ll trudge through mud, push back briars in the woods, and search highway underpasses to spot tell-tale signs of Atlanta’s homeless.
Shadow Warrior is a nonprofit that Hepworth started almost four years ago to help veterans get off the streets and into transitional housing, so they can get their service benefits and find steady jobs. More than 1,400 vets have been contacted and assisted in some way by the organization, Hepworth said.
“We go out to the underpasses, the bridges, wherever we’ve got to go to find them,” Hepworth said. “We’re cutting through the red tape and saying: ‘Hey, we’ve got you.’ It’s not a handout by any means, but a hand-up.”
He said a lot of veterans don’t know how to navigate the system and don’t realize the military benefits they are owed due to their service. Some homeless vets struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and aren’t ready to give up their lifestyle. They’ll get a backpack of supplies and a card to keep so they can call Shadow Warrior when they’re ready to make a change.
While these search-and-rescue missions, called “Shadow Chasing,” have been put on hold during the pandemic, Shadow Warrior continues to help those veterans referred to them.
Troy Landrey, vice president of the foundation, keeps a dozen or so backpacks in his car all the time to hand out to any homeless he sees while working in downtown Atlanta.
Engaging in conversations with the homeless touches his heart, and the dialogue helps to build trust and identify those with a military background.
“Some are ready to get off the street, and some aren’t, and that’s OK,” Landrey said.
Board member Jared Clark said it’s eye-opening to see how many veterans are on the streets and in plain sight. Searching for vets is the most satisfying activity of being a warrior, he said.
“You can see this glimmer of hope in their eyes to know that someone’s looking for them,” Clark said.
Both Landrey and Clark said that growing up they wanted to serve in the military but were medically denied. Shadow Warrior gives them a chance to serve now.
Hepworth started his nonprofit shortly after retiring from the military and moving to Cumming in 2015. As a registered nurse, the Army combat medic served 10 years, including almost a year in Afghanistan with a battlefield medic trauma unit.
Hepworth never wanted to leave the service but was discharged due to severe injuries to his neck and back.
“I was really nervous about what I was going to do when I got out,” Hepworth said. “I love my soldiers. I wanted to get back out there.”
His wife, Makenzie, encouraged him to find his way to keep serving as a civilian.
Hepworth quickly found his calling when, after moving to Georgia, he went to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs regional office to establish his medicalbenefits. He saw a group of homeless men by the side of the road and found out they were veterans waiting for their VA benefits.
“They were not being treated the best, and that did not sit well with me. It ticked me off,” Hepworth said. “I said: ‘I’ve got to try and do something for these guys.’”
The nonprofit started with six guys, all of whom continue to serve in leadership positions. Hepworth’s wife serves on the board, and their daughter, a middle-schooler, is also heavily engaged with the group.
Shadow Warrior uses all donations to purchase supplies for backpacks and other needs for veterans, and to educate the public about PTSD.
The group also participates in veteran-supported road races, like the annual Fallen Heroes of Georgia 5K, which is scheduled for Sept. 26 at 8 a.m. at Lake Lanier Islands in Buford. They plan to run the race carrying someone strapped onto Hepworth’s combat stretcher.
“We do this to say: ‘Just like you don’t leave a soldier on the battlefield, we’re not going to leave them on the streets’,” Landrey said.
Clark said finding homeless vets could be a challenge, but consistently going out and talking with people in neighborhoods helps them gain trust.
“It’s very satisfying when we’re able to help someone – to get them off the streets and help them get a job – and then to see them turn around and help someone else,” he said.
ABOUT SHADOW WARRIOR FOUNDATION
The nonprofit helps connect veterans with services in Atlanta. One of the main activities is “Shadow Chasing,” where volunteers go out on the streets to find homeless vets and offer help. They leave backpacks filled with hygiene items, blankets, non-perishable foods and other supplies.
AREAS OF IMPACT:
Veterans contacted and assisted: 1,400+
Shadow Chasing bags delivered: 1,500+
Housing/shelter provided for veterans and families: 37
Furniture pieces provided for veteran homes: 41
Coats provided: 600+
Tents provided: 219
Sleeping bags provided: 186
Claims processed: 100+
Participate in veteran supported 5K Races
HOW TO HELP
Funds are needed to create “Shadow Kits” of supplies that are hand-delivered to homeless veterans and to purchase other items for vets transitioning off the streets.
Donations can be made through the website: shadowwarriorfoundation.org
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