by Jeremy Ruffner

My name is Jeremy Ruffner. I’m a 39-year-old Marine Veteran, a single father of two amazing children, and I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with anxiety and depression. United Way of Northeast Florida’s Mission United program has truly assisted me in obtaining stability and, most importantly, hope.

I served four years in the United States Marine Corps that included a combat tour overseas and direct involvement in the Battle of Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004-2005. In 2007, I transitioned from the Marine Corps with an honorable discharge and the aforementioned PTSD. These mental health problems brought upon three horribly failed marriages and two suicide attempts.

Over the years, I struggled with sustainability in employment, often living paycheck to paycheck. I often barely made enough money to keep the lights on, keep from being evicted or even provide food for my kids. In 2023, everything took a turn for the worse when I lost another job and was at risk for homelessness.

I’m not a quitter. I called a Veteran colleague who I vaguely knew worked with other homeless and struggling Veterans with United Way’s Mission United program. Her approach was different.

Because of the life-changing assistance Mission United provided me, I have been stable for a while now.

My mental health is improving by small fixes one day at a time. My physical health is even better than ever and became a main priority. I’m making such progress that I jumped at the chance to save other Veterans and applied for the Mission United Veteran Care Coordinator role when it became available. I am in that role to this day.

Since I began as a Mission United Veteran Care Coordinator last year, I have assisted over 400 Veterans and Veteran families like me navigate a path to sustainability. Truth be told, a big part of my therapy and ongoing stability, as well as my hope, comes from assisting these other Veterans.

Thank you for your support of United Way and Mission United. If you would like to help us continue this mission to support Northeast Florida’s Veterans and their families, you can donate here.