Description

Join host Steve Hesselton on the Grok Daily Podcast’s Voices of Valor series, live from Veterans Inc. headquarters in Worcester, MA, with Ray Carville—Public Affairs Manager and Army vet of Iraq and Afghanistan. This nonprofit powerhouse saves over 6,000 vets with housing, jobs, and mental health support across New England and beyond.

As Trump’s second term rattles federal funding, Ray unpacks wins like the HERO Act, the fight against veteran homelessness, and a raw take on trauma and recovery via Independence Hall. He dives into community lifelines—think 6,000 jackets from Ocean State Job Lot and the Stand Down event—plus the migrant housing debate, recognizing their humanity amid a deeper structural crisis.

Ray breaks barriers, likening unclaimed vet benefits to findmassmoney.org’s billions, urging vets to claim what’s theirs. Passionate, urgent, and real—get involved at veteransinc.org.

Areas to Highlight:

• Housing Impact: Veterans Inc.’s work saving 6,000+ vets with transitional housing, women-and-kids facilities, and long-term recovery at Independence Hall.
• Policy Stakes: The HERO Act’s bipartisan win, 70-80% federal funding reliance, and Trump-era cut threats, balanced by local advocacy.
• Community Power: Ocean State Job Lot’s 6,000 jackets/toys, Stand Down’s 700+ vet reset, and ways to volunteer or donate.
• Mental Health Crisis: Ray’s personal recovery story, tackling trauma/addiction, and confidential support like the Staff Sergeant Fox program.
• Migrant Tension: Ray’s take on state migrant funding—humanity vs. sustainability, not a vet conflict, but a structural housing/wealth issue.
• Breaking Barriers: Unclaimed vet benefits akin to findmassmoney.org’s billions—earned, owed, and waiting to be claimed.

Special Thanks: @oceanstatejoblot, @MassTreasury