About US

One day in 2023 Maria (Executive Director) and Larry (President) Phillips were sitting outside a hobby store and were in emotional distress.  They were discussing the state of their affairs as it pertained to their finances.  They had worked really hard to dig themselves out of debt and build their credit, but regardless, life found a way to throw a monkey wrench into their plans of financial independence.

They were reduced to one vehicle for the previous 5 months, even after dishing out several thousand dollars for a new transmission (still having one vehicle was a blessing, but it was still a challenge when raising active children), their bathroom was in desperate need of repair, the had 2 holes in their ceiling, which were hemorrhaging heat and air, helping inflate their already costly gas and electric bills, their kitchen sink had just finally been fixed, multiple electrical outlets were not working and their washer and dryer were on the fritz.

These problems had been accumulating over the course of just 6 months or so.  They did the best they could to keep up with repairs, but given their standard monthly expenses there was little they could do other than start racking up debt once again.

Larry, being a disabled veteran, looked for resources that may be geared toward helping veterans in his situation.  This was a last ditch effort in order to keep his sanity.  There were a few resources out there who were able to provide some assistance with some of the problems, but they were fairly modest and stringent on qualifications and are often a one-time service.  They were both working and Maria even had some side hustles, but it just wasn’t enough.  They had no one else to turn to - so they turned to themselves.  

They were sitting in the car discussing all of this, when Larry decided that he didn’t want anyone else to be in his position.  Every veteran sacrifices to give to their country.  Some more than others, of course, but every single one has volunteered their lives in service to their country.  Why shouldn’t there be an organization out there who is dedicated to helping these veterans with the financial burden of the basic necessities of life, (a healthy home environment)?  If these veterans can have one less thing to worry about, it would be a boon on their mental and emotional well-being.  Finances can be a major cause of depression and I think we all know how devastating and prevalent veterans taking their own life has been.  What if one home-repair could prevent homelessness? What if one auto repair was all it took to be the difference between getting to work on time or losing your job?

Larry knew Maria had the business acumen and motivation, and he knew he could trust her with helping him put a plan together to accomplish just that.  So, summer 2023, they scraped together what assets they had and invested it into creating a non-profit in which disabled veterans could confide.  And thus, American Hero Initiative was born.  Let us repay your sacrifice and do everything in our power to help you get through another day.