Wheeled Phoenix project helps veterans re-enter society in U.S.

The visions I’ve had of forgotten veterans have haunted me for years ... the Wheeled Phoenix project, the concept I’ve devised, will buy old cars and restore them as resto-mods. The cars will be raffled off by a nonprofit, Veteran Phoenix, LLLP, and the donations received from ticket sales will help homeless veterans re-enter society. Wheeled Phoenix’, Inc. will also produce two reality shows; one that will feature the car’s rebuild, and the other will feature the rebuilding of a soldier’s life.

The purpose of the Wheeled Phoenix project will be to help homeless U.S. veterans re-enter society. Currently there are around 39,000 (2017) homeless veterans scattered around the U.S., and that is just too many. With guidance and a small financial boost, homeless veterans may be able to join society and become solid citizens once again..

Wheeled Phoenix’, Inc. will run the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit company called Veteran Phoenix’, LLLP, It will also produce a weekly automotive television series called: “The Wheeled Phoenix” (in the vein of Chip Foose’s “Overhaulin’”) which will document the restoration of an American car to be raffled off to garner proceeds for the nonprofit; and a weekly reality documentary series called: “The Veteran Phoenix” (in the vein of “Intervention”) which will document a homeless veteran’s road to self-fulfillment; of which seventy percent (70 percent) of proceeds will be used to fund the nonprofit to keep operations moving forward, and possibly expand them.

The nonprofit company, Veteran Phoenix’ LLLP. (to be filed with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit company) will find, and help homeless United States Armed Forces veterans (Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Coast Guard, and all the Reserves), and their families, get into a home, and find them a job that will help restore the honor that they once had as a soldier. The staff will make contact with individuals and corporations all over the United States that have positions available that require the skills the soldiers learned while serving, or in their pre-service civilian life The monies collected will be divvied up and used to place homeless veteran(s) (as many as there is money for) in a rental (house or apartment) — which will include first and last month’s rent, and security deposit; renter’s insurance; purchase of food; bed(s); furniture; laptop computer; clothing; utilities; some form of transportation (car, or public transportation pass); automobile insurance (if necessary); cell phone; moving expenses, medical attention; $500 spending cash in a checking account, and in some instances — tuition for schooling to update their skills. Any donations of the above items will be equally divvied out as well.

The veteran will be taught the necessary skills to support himself, like: balancing a checkbook; personal hygiene; minor social graces; shopping in a grocery store; cooking food; cleaning the house; using a computer; paying bills; buying a transportation pass; and/or driving a car. Once he or she has begun working at their new job, they will be left to make it alone, but the Organizer in charge of their “makeover” will continue to check up on them from time-to-time and make sure they’re doing well.

For more information about the Wheeled Phoenix project, go online to https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-wheeled-phoenix-project#/

— Ron Gulette is a resident of Superior.