“I don’t know where I would be without MANA House today,” Anthony Green says.
Anthony is a U.S. Army veteran in Phoenix. After spending a brief time in prison, Anthony was about to re-enter society with no job, no family and no support. That’s when he found MANA House, a transitional living facility for veterans experiencing homelessness. MANA House offers individualized resources, community and advocacy for veterans.
“I prayed every day for the Lord to direct me and give me guidance. MANA House was a blessing,” Anthony says.
Anthony was the first person to come to MANA House directly from prison. While he’d been through a lot prior to coming to MANA House, he felt welcomed by staff and residents from the beginning. They provided him a bed, food, resources, stability and a community of veterans who shared experiences and challenges. While at MANA House, Anthony was able to rebuild his life.
Selene Becerra Romero, an Action Plan Advisor at MANA House admired Anthony’s ambition; she speaks highly of how hard he worked while he was at MANA house. “He was always so friendly, and he was really dedicated to getting back on his feet,” she says. “He was ready to go from day one and was very motivating to others around him.”
With the help from the resources and staff provided at MANA house, he was able to secure at job at Amazon. While the average time spent at MANA House is six to nine months, Anthony spent just over three months before being able to gain his independence back and move into his own apartment. “If you have an idea and you’re working toward your goal, [MANA house] is very supportive,” Anthony says.
Today, Anthony continues to work for Amazon. And, even more exciting, is his business plan for a small catering company that he created while in prison, which he has just launched! He has done a handful of events already and is looking forward to expanding, as well as launching a website. Anthony also wrote 11 books while in prison and hopes to self-publish at least one in the near future. Learn more about MANA House and how you can support veterans experiencing homelessness.
