Help The Guys At Gearbox Magazine Help Someone Who Needs It

It’s an American tradition to help the less fortunate around the winter holidays. After the bell rings for New Year’s, however, many people who need assistance find themselves out in the cold. This weekend, the founder of Gearbox is trying to help a homeless veteran who needs a car — but not for the reason you’d suspect.

Janitor John moved to Phoenix with his roommate, a fellow military veteran…. John let it slip to us that he was living in a car. Everyone on the team here at the office was surprised… John wakes up in the morning, parked behind a grocery store (they’ve asked the manager’s permission), cleans up best he can (with wet naps), and walks over to Starbucks. They spend their days there sipping the cheapest coffee they can get, so they can be inside (where it’s warm), keep their phones charged, and look for jobs online… He’s contacted the local VA. They told him to go to a homeless shelter, which would be fine, except it’s on the far side of town, you have to check in at 6AM to “get a bunk with the crazies,” as he puts it, and there’s no bus service available from work to the shelters when he gets off work at 1AM… He’s contacted Wounded Warrior Project and Operation Homefront. Both have told him their #1 priority is wounded and recently returning combat veterans. John is adamant this SHOULD be their priority. Unfortunately, he’s been told it’s about a 2-3 year wait for help from them otherwise.

Brian and the rest of the Gearbox crew want to buy John a car that he can use as a bedroom and a way to get to his job. They figure they can make something happen for $1100. I’ve contributed, and you can too. Furthermore, I’ll send any member of the B&B who puts $75 or more in, starting now, a TTAC Racing T-shirt at my expense. Just post below that you’ve done it and I’ll contact you to arrange it. Warning: you might not get to pick the size. :)

Thanks for reading, and for caring — JB