CNN Hero

            Roy Foster is a veteran who started an organization, with another veteran, called the nonprofit Faith*Hope*Love*Charity.   This charity helps veterans who are homeless and have no work after serving our country.  Foster was born in rural Georgia and entered into the army right after high school.  During his six years in the military Foster experimented with drugs and alcohol and by the time he left the army in 1980 Foster was a full blown alcoholic.  Foster then spent the next ten years batting his addiction and at sometimes was homeless.  Struggled for sobriety, Foster found it hard to find programs that offered support to veterans or provided the help that he needed.   By the early 1990’s Foster became sober and became a substance abuse counselor.  Still, Foster saw how veterans were falling through the cracks and realized that something needed to be done.  Foster along with another veteran started the Faith*Hope*Love*Charity and after six years Faith*Hope*Love*Charity created Stand Down.  This organization offers addiction support and counseling, food, clothing, a place to sleep, and transportation to the VA hospital for additional medical and mental health care.  This gives veterans a chance to start over after serving our country.  Roy Foster is a hero because he is helping the men that fight for our country and are ignored by the country.  After returning from war and being discharged the army and our country do little to help those who come home.  These men and women risk their lives to protect us and our country and once they return home many of them have physical injuries or PTSD.  This charity allows for them to receive help and shelter so they can restart their lives after returning from war.  Roy Foster has done a good thing to help our soldiers and promoting awareness for returning soldiers that suffer physically and emotionally.  Without Foster’s help many of these solders would have died from addiction or from being homeless.  Foster has saved many lives with his program and as a result is a great hero. 

Comments

[alexandria cruz]

Katie, (I always seem to comment on yours) but again I liked who you picked for this week’s blog. After serving our country, it is hard for most veterans to come back and hold jobs, or continue life as it once was. Many suffer problems as this guy did with drugs and drinking. It is admirable that Foster was able to realize what needed to be done after he had hit rock bottom. Not only did he create a nonprofit organization, but it was able to start another organization. The organization is great in providing food and shelter, however it also provides hope and support, two things that are very important in recovering from any problem. After serving our country it is sad that veterans go through this because they have given up so much for their country and us. It is sad that out of all they have been through they also need to suffer coming home too. I think it is remarkable how people who go through such battles within their own lives are able to recover and help others. It must be so hard not to become bitter and hateful. Instead, these remarkable people decide to turn it around and make sure others do not follow down the same path. I think that is what a hero should be, someone who saves other people. I also think that it is better for it to be someone who knows what it is like. I imagine it would be hard to take advice and listen to someone who does not truly understand and have lived through what you are living through. It is amazing that there are people like that in the world today. They offer up true inspiration and are truly the people to look up to as heroes.